(b Berlin, 13 Feb 1793; d Mainz, 18 Dec 1877). German painter. The stepson, from 1804, of Friedrich von Schlegel, he studied (1808-11) at the Akademie in Dresden under Friedrich Matth?i (1777-1845) and Caspar David Friedrich. He showed talent in drawing but, on moving to Vienna in 1811, had difficulties with painting in oil, and turned to watercolour. Through Schlegel, Veit came to know many of the leading Romantics in Vienna, such as the poet and novelist Joseph von Eichendorff. In 1813-14 Veit took part in the campaign against Napoleon and returned briefly to Berlin. In 1815 he completed a votive picture, the Virgin with Christ and St John, for the church of St James in Heiligenstadt, Vienna (in situ), inspired by the work of Pietro Perugino and Raphael. In 1815 Veit left for Italy where he stayed until 1830. In Rome he joined the circle around Friedrich Overbeck and Peter Cornelius, becoming a leading Nazarene (see NAZARENES). With these artists he took part in providing fresco decorations (1816-17) for the Casa Bartholdy (now the Bibliotheca Hertziana): Veit painted the scene of Joseph and Potiphar's Wife and a decorative lunette allegory, the Seven Years of Plenty (both now Berlin, Staatl. Mussen, N.G.). In 1818 Veit was commissioned to paint the fresco of the Triumph of Religion in the Museo Chiaramonti in the Vatican, one of a series of murals recording the services of Pope Pius VII to science and art. Veit also took part in the decoration of the Casino Massimo in Rome (1818-24), painting the ceiling of the Dante Room with the Heavens of the Blessed and the Empyrean (in situ). In these frescoes and in his Maria Immaculata in Trinit? dei Monti (1829-30; in situ) Veit proved himself the finest colourist of the Nazarene artists. While in Rome, Veit also painted some excellent portraits, notably a Self-portrait (c. 1816; Mainz, Landesmus.; see fig.). He also produced a fine series of pencil drawings of his fellow German artists in Rome (e.g. Mainz, Landesmus.).

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Veit, Philipp (Berlin, 1793-1877, Mainz), a Romantic painter, was a son of Dorothea von Schlegel by her first marriage, and hence a grandson of Moses Mendelssohn. He was converted to Roman Catholicism at 16, shortly after the conversion of his mother and his stepfather, Friedrich von Schlegel. He served as a volunteer in the Wars of Liberation (1814-15) and then studied painting in Rome, becoming one of the Nazarene school (see Nazarener). He returned to Germany in 1830 and was director of the City Art Institute from 1830 to 1843. From 1853 until his death he was director of the Mainz Art Gallery.

(fē'lĭp fīt) , 1793–1877, German historical painter; grandson of Moses Mendelssohn. In Rome he joined the Nazarenes and was one of the most interesting members of the group. With them he assisted in the fresco decorations of the Casa Bartholdy and Villa Massimi. From 1830 to 1843 he was director of the Städel Institute, Frankfurt-am-Main, for which he painted The Triumph of Christianity. The last part of his life was spent in Mainz, where he designed the decorations for the cathedral.

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