Friedrich Preller the Elder's mythological landscapes shaped the ideal of a 19th-century art concept oriented on the classical canon. The painter, who worked in Weimar, left behind a large oeuvre of paintings, drawings and prints, only some of which have been catalogued to date. His letters provide information about his clients, work processes and pictorial ideas and bring to life his journeys to Italy, through the Alps, and to Norway. They allow a precise reconstruction of five decades of intense creative activity. Preller corresponded with numerous 19th-century personalities, including fine artists, composers, art dealers and publishers, as well as his students.
