Leo von Klenze

Leo von Klenze was a German architect and painter who was one of the most prominent representatives of the Greek revival style. He was the court architect of Ludwig I of Bavaria, who shared his passion for Hellenism and commissioned him to design many neoclassical buildings in Munich and elsewhere. Von Klenze also designed museum galleries, such as the Glyptothek and the Alte Pinakothek, which were among the most advanced in Europe at the time. He was also involved in the reconstruction of Athens after Greece gained its independence, and designed a building for the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia. Von Klenze was not only an architect, but also an accomplished painter. He depicted ancient buildings and landscapes in many of his paintings, serving as models for his own architectural projects. He also painted idealized reconstructions of ancient monuments, such as the Acropolis of Athens. Von Klenze was a devotee of Neoclassicism and believed that there was only one true art of building, namely that which was perfected by the ancient Greeks. He sought to revive the classical principles of beauty, harmony, and proportion in his works. He died in 1864 and was buried in the Alter Südfriedhof in Munich. His legacy is evident in the many neoclassical buildings and paintings that he left behind, as well as in his influence on other architects and artists.