LESSING, KARL FRIEDRICH (1808-80). A German historical and landscape painter, grand nephew of Gutthold Ephraim Lessing. He was born near Breslau, February 15. 1808. and was a pupil of the Berlin Academy. He first devoted himself to landscape. and in 1826 obtained a prize with his "Cemetery in Ruins." Ile accompanied his master, Schadow. to Diissel dorf, where he continued his studies. devoting himself to historical paintings. In 1830, when Schado• went to Italy, Lessing occupied his place as director of the Academy, exercising great in fluence upon the Ditssehlorf school. His picture " Das trauernde Kiinigspaar" ("Mourning Royal Couple") brought him great popularity. In 1837 he received a gold medal at Paris; lie was a member of the Berlin Academy, and was the recipient of several orders. In 1858 he was appointed director of the gallery at Karlsruhe. where he continued his activity as a painter until his death, January 4, 1SS0. His historical paint
ings were mostly executed in the service of Prot estantism. The best known are: "Hussite Ser mon" (1836), and the "Martyrdom of Huss" (1850), in the National Gallery at Berlin: "Buss Before the Council of Constance" (1842), in the :Museum of Frankfort ; "Dispute Between Luther and Dr. Eek," in the Gallery of Karlsruhe; "Luther Burning the Pope's Bull" (1853) "Pope Paschal 11, a Prisoner of Henry V." (1857). in the possession of the German Emperor. As a land scape painter Lessing occupies an important place, being the chief master of the Romantic School in Germany. His landscapes were chiefly mountain scenery, painted directly from nature, only the figures being reminiscent of Romanti cism. Consult M. Jordan, Ausstellung der Werke Karl Friedrich Lessings (Berlin, 1880).