7 ~ 
this object. 
452 Memoirs of the Life and Works of Carstens..° [June 1, 
entirely ignorant of the manner of using 
colours. His mother, on observing such 
decided proofs of the bent'of his genius, 
communicated to him the small degree 
of instruction in the art which she had 
herself received in her youth; and gave 
hjm a box of colours, which first put him 
into a capacity for handling the pencil. 
He made but little progress in the other 
branches of his education, as his predo- 
minant taste absorbed all the powers of 
bis mind; the reprimands of his precep- 
tors had no effect: and Carstens quitted 
his classical studies at the age of sixteen, 
without knowing much more of them 
than when he first entered upon them. 
His mother consented to his wish of 
being placed in the work-room of a 
painter; andapplication was accordingly 
made to Tischbein, who at that time 
enjoyed great celebrity. The conditions 
however which the latter proposed for 
receiving him, were too degrading; the 
young artist could not submit to the cha- 
racter of a footman, and the afiair was 
in consequence broken off. Abort the 
-same time, his mother dicd; on which 
the effects which she left were sold off, 
and the childreu were put under guar- 
dians. Carstens thus found himself re- 
moved further than ever from the attain- 
ment of his favourite purpose; and, being 
compelled to adopt a commercial life, 
settied in the house of a wine-merchant 
at Eckernfeerde. He now formed a seri- 
ous determination to renounce. his at- 
tachment to painting; but sull he was, 
in a manner, unsuspectingly drawn to 
To this he devoted his 
hours of leisure; and his genius even took 
a new flight, in consequence of his form- 
ing an acquaintance with a young painter, 
who taught him the method of using oil- 
colours. 
His first attempt in this practice, was 
the copy of a head of Minerva, of the 
natural size, from Joseph d’Arpino. 
‘This head, and a picture from Abraham 
 Diepenbeck (a pupil of Rubens), repre- 
senting asatyr watching some sleeping 
mvmphs, are the only pieces that Cars- 
tens ever copied. 
He began to succeed in portraits; and 
.on executing those of his master and his 
family, was. in consequence presented 
with a work of Kreker, on easel-painting. 
From this book he derived several ideas 
which were further developed when he 
“became possessed of Webb's Enquiries 
concerning Beauty in Painting. By these 
means he learnt the names of the great 
miasters: he considered himself initiated 
in the mysteries of the art; and could 
not longer think it possible fur him to re- 
Sist an inclination which daily assuined 
the character of a genuine passion. Ile 
had accomplished the five years of his 
apprenticeship; and, according to the 
terms of the agreement with his master, 
was still under an engagement to remain 
two years longer in his house: but an 
advocate with whom he had contracted 
an acquaintance, pointed out to him the 
means of liberating himself from this si- 
tuation of painful dependanee, by ob- 
serving to him, that at the age which he 
had now attained, he was entitled to 
act according to his own inclinations in 
this respect, even in opposition to the 
engagements previcusly formed by his 
guardians, who had exceeded their lawful 
authority over him. The result of these 
suggestions was, that Carstens compro- 
mised the matter with his master, by 
paying him eighty crowns for his liberty. 
Fe now went to Copenhagen, where 
he renewed an acquaintance which he 
had formed at Sleswick, with a painter 
named Ipsen, which.proved of consider- 
able service to him. He felt a strong 
desire to see the works of the great mas- 
ters, which as yet he knew only by com- 
mon fame; and his joy was extreme 
when he obtained access to the royal 
gallery: but it- is impossible to express 
his sensations at beholding the monuments 
of sculpture which are preserved a the 
Hall of Antiques. He could scarcely 
believe that such master-pieces were 
nfere productions of art: to lus eyes they 
appeared to be rather the workmanship 
of a divinity. Here indeed he saw the 
Laocoon, the Vatican Apollo, the Farnese 
Hercules, &c. 
During his stay atCopenhagen,he passed 
entire days in admiring these sublime 
performances. But he did not under- 
take the task of copying them; for he 
thought it of more utility to impress his 
mind thoroughly with their particular 
features, and to express these afterward 
with his utmost accuracy, in every pos- 
sible position. This constituted almost 
his sole employment; and he has ac- 
knowledged that nothing «was of greater 
advantage to him in facilitating the study 
of the human body, and the grouping of 
the figures in composition-pictures. The 
anatomical lessons of professor Wieden= 
haupt, gave him just ideas on the natural 
forms of the body; but he could not re- 
solve on copying them from the models 
specially appropriated to this study. 
ecigns from the antique, executed = 
the 
