Karl Ferdinand Sohn
Illustration — Karl Ferdinand Sohn, from a group portrait by Julius Hübner Karl Ferdinand Sohn (10 December 1805 – 25 November 1867) was a German painter of the Düsseldorf school of painting.
Also recorded as Carl Ferdinand Sohn · Karl Sohn · K. F. Sohn · professor karl ferd. sohn
Karl Ferdinand Sohn
Julius Hübner · Own work, anagoria · Public domain
- Born
- 1805. · Berlin.
- Died
- 1867. · Cologne.
- Nationality
- Kingdom of Prussia.
- Occupation
- painter and university teacher.
- Fields
- portrait.
- Education
- Kunstakademie Düsseldorf and Berlin University of the Arts.
- Teachers
- Friedrich Wilhelm Schadow.
- Languages
- German.
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Documentary summary
Illustration — Karl Ferdinand Sohn, from a group portrait by Julius Hübner Karl Ferdinand Sohn (10 December 1805 – 25 November 1867) was a German painter of the Düsseldorf school of painting.
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wikidata · Q678040 · wikipedia · Karl Ferdinand Sohn
In this article
Biography
Biography
Karl Ferdinand Sohn studied at Kunstakademie Düsseldorf and Berlin University of the Arts. Training under Friedrich Wilhelm Schadow is recorded. Richard Freytag, Elisabeth Baumann and Leopold Hartmann are recorded as having studied under Karl Ferdinand Sohn. The recorded working language is German. Subjects and genres recorded for the work are portrait. Places of work recorded in the authority are Düsseldorf. Employment is recorded with Kunstakademie Düsseldorf. Work by Karl Ferdinand Sohn is recorded in the collections of Suermondt-Ludwig-Museum, Hermitage Museum, Museum Kunstpalast, National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design and Führermuseum.
• Illustration — Sohn in his studio, 1846 He was born in Berlin and started his studies at the age of eighteen under Wilhelm von Schadow, whom he followed to Düsseldorf. He focused on mythical and poetic subjects of a highly romantic character, and painted in the idealistic manner of the Düsseldorf school. He visited Italy (1830–1831) and adopted ideas from the works of the Venetians; Titian, Paolo Veronese, and Palma il Vecchio. In 1832, he was named a Professor at the Düsseldorf Academy, where he exercised an important influence. On 18 January 1834, he married Emilie Auguste von Mülmann in Düsseldorf. They had five children. His two sons Paul Eduard Richard Sohn (1834–1912) and Karl Friedrich Rudolf Sohn (1845–1908) also grew up to be painters. The latter married Else Sohn-Rethel (1853–1933), daughter of the painter Alfred Rethel. Clara, his eldest daughter, was married to the German composer and conductor Albert Dietrich. His daughter Marie married the painter Karl Hoff (1838–1890). His youngest daughter, Emilie, married his nephew, the painter Wilhelm Sohn (1830–1899), thereby making him his nephew and son-in-law. • Illustration — Karl Ferdinand Sohn trained many female painters. His pupils included the painters Luise von Martens and Emma Elwin (née Neussel). The present portrait of Emma Elwin was done by Martens when both were in their mid-twenties. It is probably the only surviving portrait of Emma Elwin (private collection Germany). Later, He painted biblical subjects, and then devoted himself to genre scenes, well characterized and of great coloristic charm. Among these are: the Consultation at the Lawyer's (1866, Leipzig Museum) and the Warrior of the Seventeenth Century (1869, Dresden Gallery). At the age of nearly sixty-two Karl Ferdinand Sohn died on 25 November 1867 during a visit to his friend Ferdinand Hiller in Cologne.
Identity and origins
Identity and origins
The authorities additionally record the headings Carl Ferdinand Sohn, Karl Sohn, K. Sohn, professor karl ferd. Sohn and karl ferd. Sohn. His recorded language was German. 3 children are recorded: Carl Rudolph Sohn, Paul Eduard Richard Sohn and Marie Hoff.

Musée d'art et d'archéologie du Périgord - Karl Ferdinand Sohn - Portrait de Madame Alfred Magne
MOSSOT

Karl Ferdinand Sohn, drawing by Richard Sohn 1867
Creator:Richard Sohn · Private collection institution QS:P195,somevalue,P3831
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 2 entries
1805
Karl Ferdinand Sohn was born on 10 December 1805.
1867
Karl Ferdinand Sohn died on 25 November 1867.
Places
Named by the record
Places
Only places the record itself states, plotted where the house gazetteer settles their coordinates. Nothing is inferred from a name or a nationality.
Berlin.
Birth place
Cologne.
Death place
Selected paintings
• Illustration — alt=Rinaldo and Armida Rinaldo and Armida, 1828 • Illustration — alt=Torquato Tasso and the Two Leonores Torquato Tasso and the Two Leonores, 1839 • Illustration — Mathilde Wesendonck • Illustration — alt= Minstrel and Two Listening Ladies, 1849. Depicting Torquato Tasso, Eleonora d'Este, and Leonora Sanvitale. • Illustration — alt= The Two Leonors, circa 1834 • Illustration — alt= Portrait of Emilie Auguste Sohn by her husband
Notable students
• Anselm Feuerbach • Marie Wiegmann • Amalie Bensinger • Elisabeth Jerichau-Baumann • Heinrich Ludwig Philippi • Clemens Bewer • Ludwig von Milewski
Primary material
Documents and archives
reference work
- “Karl Ferdinand Sohn”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
authority record
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q678040: Karl Ferdinand Sohn
General reference · Wikidata
References
Citations
References
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reference work
Secondary witnessauthority record
Secondary witness
People, houses and institutions
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People, houses and institutions
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Studied at
1- Kunstakademie DüsseldorfOrganisation
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Further particulars
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Further particulars
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Karl Ferdinand Sohn studied at Kunstakademie Düsseldorf and Berlin University of the Arts. He trained under Friedrich Wilhelm Schadow. Each of those relationships is stated by the authority record rather than inferred from style.
Karl Ferdinand Sohn is recorded with the occupation university teacher. Classed in the genre portrait. Sohn worked at Düsseldorf. Recorded as having studied at Kunstakademie Düsseldorf and Berlin University of the Arts.
Recognition and collections
Work by Karl Ferdinand Sohn is
Suermondt-Ludwig-Museum, Hermitage Museum, Museum Kunstpalast and National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design
Activity and practice
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 17 August 2026.
Elsewhere in Paintings
18,623 published records in this field, each with its sources named.
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