Lorenz Clasen
Lorenz Clasen was a German history painter and author; best known for his frequently reproduced painting, "Germania auf der Wacht am Rhein", in the town hall of Krefeld, which was inspired by the popular song Die Wacht am Rhein.
Biography
At the request of his father, he began by studying law at the University of Bonn, but switched to the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf in 1829, where he studied art with Rudolf Wiegmann instead. His early works were mostly religious in nature.In addition to painting, he worked as an art critic; providing reviews for numerous local and foreign publications. In 1842, he moved to Neuwied, where he served as a tutor for Prince Maximilian. Over the next few years, he produced historical paintings and created frescoes for the Elberfeld Town Hall.
During the Revolution, he served as a Deputy Commander of the Bürgerwehr. When his cousin, Lorenz Cantador, resigned, he was promoted to Commander.
From 1847 to 1849, he was Chief Editor of the , a satirical monthly. Then, after a brief stay in Berlin, he settled permanently in Leipzig sometime in the early 1850s. While there, he served as an editor at the Familien-Journal. Later, he produced "Germania at Watch by the Sea", but it never became as popular as the original.