Cornelius, Peter von (1783–1867)

German painter. He was a member of the Nazarenes. He worked first in Frankfurt and in 1811 joined Johann Overbeck and others in Rome in their attempt to revive a monastic workshop. The frescoes in the Bartholdy Palace in Rome, representing the history of Joseph, are among his finest works.

Cornelius was appointed director of the Academy of Munich in 1824, being greatly admired by Ludwig of Bavaria, and was responsible for much fresco painting in Munich and Berlin, for example the Last Judgement (Ludwigskirche, Munich). As a teacher he was influential and had numerous pupils.