Franz Ludwig Catel was born at Berlin in 1778. He commenced his artistic career by carving in wood, and then designed illustrations for unimportant works, executing in 1799 ten plates for Goethe's 'Hermann and Dorothea.' He next worked in Indian ink and water-colours, producing in 1806 a large piece in the latter medium, representing 'The Death of Nicholas of Bernau,' which gained him admission into the Berlin Academy. In 1807 he went to Paris, where he studied oil painting. The year 1812 found him at Rome, and there his education as an artist was much advanced by his connection with Koch, Overbeck, Schadow, and Cornelius. His inclination led him more especially in the direction of painting landscapes with architectural details or prominent figures introduced. He attached himself to the new classic school of landscape, labouring especially to make his perspective tell effectively, and to gain a great mastery over light and shade. His ideas gained much in point of breadth from a visit to Sicily, which he made in company with Prince Golitsuin in 1818. He settled at Macerata in 1830, but returned home on a visit in 1840, on which occasion a professorship was bestowed on him by the King of Prussia. Amongst Catel's landscape subjects, which are marred by a certain touch of conventionality, the best perhaps are 'The Moonlight View of the Colonnade of St. Peter's,' and 'The Storm on Mount Etna.' In the Berlin Gallery are two Neapolitan views, both painted in 1822, and in the New Pinakothek, Munich, are eight works by him, views in Italy. His works may be seen in Munich and Copenhagen. He died at Rome in 1856.
This article incorporates text from the article "CATEL, Franz Ludwig" in Bryan's Dictionary of Painters and Engravers by Michael Bryan, edited by Robert Edmund Graves and Sir Walter Armstrong, an 1886–1889 publication now in the public domain.