Carl Spitzweg’s “The Poor Poet"

Posted by Suzanne Hill Jan 2, 2007

“The Poor Poet” (1839) is a fine example of German genre painting executed by Carl Spitzweg, a self-taught artist of the Biedermeier era. A starving writer works in the solitude of his wretchedly cold room and shivers beneath his blankets. The painting is, according to author Rose-Marie Hagan in “What Great Paintings Say,” extraordinarily popular in Germany, where a survey on favorite paintings revealed “The Poor Poet” in second place, behind Leonardo da Vinci’s “Mona Lisa” and before Albrecht Durer’s “Hare.”

The poet symbolizes a popular dream of escaping the cruel outside world, retreating to our inner sanctum, and devoting ourselves to books and art rather than reality. The painting is simple: it has no complicated perspective, no complex message. It’s an image any of us can identify with. And yet it has an element of mystery. Is Spitzweg affectionately poking fun at the poor poet who refuses to face reality and get a real job? Is the artist poking fun at our dream? Perhaps the painting’s ability to evoke strong feelings is the true appeal of this painting.