WINCKELNIANN, vinfkr11-man, JorrANN JoAcunt (1717-68). An eminent German classi cal arehirologist and art historian. Born at Sten dal, Brandenburg, on December 9, 1717, the son of a poor cobbler, he succeeded only through his in vincible determination in picking up the elements of education as a charity scholar in the school of his native place, whence, in 1735, lie proceeded to the Kiillnisehes Gymnasium hi Berlin. Ermn 1738 to 1740 he studied theology and the classics at Halle, then mathematics and medicine at Jena, obtained a place as tutor at Hadmersleben, near Halberstadt, in 1742, and as associate rector in the grammar school at Seehausen in 1743. In 1748 chance brought him employment in the li brary of the Saxon ex-minister and historian, Count Biinau, at Ndthnitz, near Dresden, where lie remained six years. 1Tis association with the eminent artists and scholars at Dresden and the valuable instruction and advice which he received there, especially from Oescr, determined him to follow that career which eventually revolution ized the entire field of criticism on the subject of classical antiquities.
Through the Papal nuncio at Dresden, Count Archinto, Winckelmann was converted to the Roman Catholic faith, in 1754. He now spent a year in Dresden solely devoted to his studies. and published his first work, Godo»ken die Nach ohmung der griechischealVerke in der• Ma Wei and Bildhaucrkanst (1755), well illustrated by 1/pser, which brought him a royal stipend for two years in Rome. In September, 1755, he set out for Rome. where he derived much benefit from the companionship of Raphael Mengs, and then be came librarian to Count Archinto, who in the meanwhile had been made a cardinal and Secre tary of State. In 1758 lie visited Naples. Hercu laneum. and Pompeii, then spent nine months in Florence, cataloguing the unique collection of an tique gems and intaglios of Baron Stosch• and assiduously studying the works of Raphael and Michelangelo.
After the death of Cardinal Archinto he be came librarian to Cardinal Albani. the passion ate art-lo•er and most famous collector of his time, under whose roof henceforth lived as a friend and confidant. Repeated visits to Naples resulted in several publications which greatly contributed to the elevation of taste in the deco rative :n•ts. lint In greatest work is the Cc schichic der btorst des .11tertams (1764, new ed., by Julius Lessing, with biography, 1S83). Through it, and in the field of archeology, through the Mon/me/di a» new ed. 1821), Winekelmann became the true expounder of classic art and the founder of scientific arelne ()logy. His views of the theory of the ful called forth Lessing's Lookoon, and profound ly impressed Goethe. In April, 1768, he left home in eompany with the sculptor C:n•aceppi to revisit Germany, but in passing the Alps he evinced a strange to leave Italy, and was with dillienity persuaded to proceed to 1\1u nit-h. At Vienna he was received with honor by the Empress „Maria Theresa. rry i ng on to Tries), lie there chanced to make the ac quaintance of one Arcangeli, a. convict recently released, whose cupidity lie aroused by showing him some gold coins, the gift of _Maria Theresa, and who stabbed him fatally in his room on June 8, 1768, causing his death within a few hours. Consult his Life by Justi (Leipzig, 1898) ; also Vogel, in ,Illgoinclne deutsche Bio graphic, 1898) ; John, Biographische tvfaiihr (ib., 1860) : and Karl llillebrand, in Port»ightly Review (London, 1874).