Collection: Friedrich August Moritz Retzsch

Friedrich August Moritz Retzsch (1779–1857) was a German painter, draughtsman, and etcher. Born in Dresden, he entered the Dresden Academy of Fine Arts in 1798, studying under Cajetan Toscani and Józef Grassi. He later worked autodidactically, copying works from the Gemäldegalerie. Retzsch became a member of the Academy in 1817 and a professor in 1824.

Retzsch gained recognition for his extensive series of illustrations for literary works. The Cotta publishing house commissioned his plates for Johann Wolfgang Goethe's Faust, which contributed to his financial independence. He also created numerous outlines for Friedrich Schiller's Lied von der Glocke and a Shakespeare Gallery. Beyond these graphic works, Retzsch produced oil paintings on classical subjects and portraits.