MENZEL, mentzel, Adolf Friedrich Erd mann von, German artist: h. Breslau, 8 Dec. 1815; d. Berlin, 9 Feb. 1905. In 1830 his parents settled in Berlin, where his father had a litho graphic studio, and where the son studied a little in the academy and more by himself. At 18 he published a cycle of lithographs called 'An Artist's Wanderings,' which immediately attracted attention; four years later he had be gun to draw historical scenes from the past of Brandenburg and had commenced painting in oils with 'Checker-Players' (1836) and (Judg ment> (1837). About the same time his work as an illustrator opened up with the 400 pictures for Kugler's 'Frederick the Great' (1840), in which Menzel showed himself original, dramatic and historically correct. This vein he followed out in his 200 illustrations for the 'Works' of Frederick the Great, and in 600 more accom panying a work on the army of Frederick the Great (1856) ; as well in his oil paintings, a dozen or more, of various scenes in Frederick's life. A trip to Paris in 1867, so the French
critics claim, worked a change in Menzel's methods, so 'that he applied himself more to problems of light and shade. After 1890 he used color less and less and in his pencil draw, ing broke away from mere line to the use of a cloudy treatment. He was one of the greatest of German artists of his dav; and in 1899 he received the Order of the Black Eagle, con ferring hereditary nobility. Apart from his historical pictures, mention should be made of the 'Modern Cyclops' (1875), the interior of and Silesian rolling mill, with excellent lights, and of social satires like 'Carnival Morning' (1885). Consult Jordan, 'Das Werk Adolf Menzels> (1895) ; and lives by Sondermann (1895), and Knackfuss (1897) ; Singer, lugs of Adolf von Menzel) (London 1908).