Wilhelm kuhnert biography of martin

Friedrich Wilhelm Kuhnert began his career as apprentice to the Berlin painter and graphic artist Paul Friedrich Meyerheim (), who specialised in painting animals, and this provided him with a thorough grounding in closely observed zoological detail.

When Kuhnert attended the Berlin University of the Arts between and , the tutors noted his skill in rendering animal fur and anatomy and advised him to devote himself to animal painting.

Wilhelm kuhnert biography of martin

Kuhnert enthusiastically complied, and sought subject matter in extensive travels through Europe, Africa and Asia. In particular, he made four expeditions through areas of Central Africa which were then still largely unexplored by Europeans.

Despite working in difficult conditions, he was able to make studies directly from nature, working quickly to capture the essence of the region's animals in their native habitat, rather than drawing those in captivity, as was the case for most wildlife artists of the period