Adolph von Menzel - die Skizzenbücher

This introductory compilation of Adolph von Menzel's sketchbooks marks a century since the artist's death. Menzel was known for always carrying sketchbooks, capturing everything he encountered. When the Berlin Nationalgalerie acquired his estate, it included over 4,000 drawings. In his sketchbooks, Menzel gathered countless studies from various settings—at home, on the street, in taverns, museums, and during travels. The author analyzes Menzel's diverse observation techniques and contextualizes them within the history of science. To commemorate the 100th anniversary of Menzel's death on February 9, 2005, this is the first comprehensive overview of the imagery in his sketchbooks. It also offers a unique portrait of Menzel as an 'All-Drawer,' with his sketchbooks serving as daily companions. The Nationalgalerie acquired his vast collection as a gift, and the author meticulously cataloged these works, intentionally setting aside the dominant criterion of 'realism' in Menzel research to present unusual imagery within a scientific context. Interdisciplinary parallels illuminate Menzel's often obsessive drawing habits, transforming his sketchbooks into a black box of visual history. Menzel's life spanned a significant era, and his constant sketching reflects the evolving relationship between seeing and knowledge in the 19th century.