Author Description

On the trail and in the spirit of the great explorer Alexander von Humboldt (1769-1859), a charming and insightful survey of exotic landscapes and cultures of Latin America was created, which Berlin's Museum of Prints and Drawings makes available to a wider audience as a contribution to the Humboldt-year. The painters Johann Moritz Rugendas (1802-1858), Ferdinand Beller Bellermann (1814-1889) and Eduard Hildebrandt (1818-1869) traveled extensively throughout Central and South America, following in the footsteps of Alexander von Humboldt. In the travel sketches and nature studies created on-site, Humbolt's representations of the American sub-continent bring about a Europe-wide fascination. The painters create a diverse and authentic picture of the landscapes, flora and fauna, places, people, manners, and customs of the regions which they roamed. The noticeably painful histories of the painters following the death of Humboldt are also represented in this catalog. German text.