Nicola Marschall Essay

Throughout history, art continues to change over time along with the change in society’s culture. But for some styles of art it has remained the same for centuries. Art work such as painting the portraits of high-class individuals such as world leaders, generals, officers and the rich. Have been seen throughout history since the Greek and Romans have made statues. Portrait paintings have always captured my imagination. I always look at the portraits featured in art museums of people who were the leaders of their time. Such, as portraits of military leaders have always captured my eye. I look to see if I can tell what kind of leader they truly where based on how the painter has them portrayed. Painters such as Nicola Marschall, who is known for painting portraits such as the painting of First Lieutenant J. Mack Walker.

“Nicola was born in 1839 in the village of St. Wendel, Prussia” (ADAH). After his mom and dad died Nicola tried to follow his dad’s footsteps by being a tobacco merchant as well. However, he found that he was artistically inclined and decide to peruse the career. In 1849 Nicola came to the united states and set up a studio in Marion Alabama. Where he became a teacher at the Marion female institute where over the next few years he gained his reputation as a portrait painter (ADAH). As the civil war broke out he was in Europe furthering his painting skills. He was asked by Mrs. Napoleon Lockett and her daughter Fannie Lockett Moore the daughter in law of Alabama governor Andrew Moore. To design a flag for the confederacy and he has also designed the Confederate uniform. However, he came back and enlisted in the Confederate army were “he had risen to the rank of lieutenant in the Second Alabama Regiment of Engineers, as chief draftsman of maps and fortifications, some of which exist today” (EOA). In 1917 Nicola Marschall died at the age of 78 however, he stopped painting in 1908