Eberhard Hempel


Eberhard Hempel was a German art historian and professor at the TU Dresden specializing in the Baroque era. He was the author of the first modern monograph on Borromini in 1924.

Early life

Eberhard Hempel was born on 30 July 1886 to chemist and Louisa Delia Hempel, née Monks.

Education

Hempel attended the. From 1907 to 1914, he studied in Berlin, Vienna, and Munich until finishing his doctorate, Carlo Rainaldi: Ein Beitrag zur Geschichte des Barocks, with Heinrich Wölfflin. He received his habilitation in 1924 with a monograph on Francesco Borromini.

Academic career

Hempel worked at the Albertina in Vienna until 1931, when he was appointed an associate professor at the University of Graz. In 1933, Hempel became a full professor at Dresden Technical University. In November 1933, he signed the German Professors' Pledge of Commitment to Adolf Hitler and was charged with the managing of Cornelius Gurlitt's collection. At this time, he also joined Der Stahlhelm, though his contingent was merged into the Sturmabteilung in 1934.