By: Jacob Hawthorne
Gallery: Schmidt Fine Art Gallery
Perched on a hill high above the historic Bavarian village of Hohenschwangau, the Neuschwanstein Castle is widely regarded as the ‘Fairytale Castle’ due to its grandiose, majestic appearance and deep-rooted history in German lore. This medieval castle was commissioned and constructed by King Ludgwig II of Bavaria in the 19th century, also known as the ‘Fairytale King’. King Ludwig II was known to be a rather large admirer and supporter of Richard Wagner, who was a world-renowned German composer and theater director born in the early 1800s, and because of King Ludgwig’s fondness, there are several rooms found inside the castle’s walls that are known to be based off of characters that Wagner had created.
With such fabled associations to great royalty, world-renowned creators, and historical figures like this, it stands to reason that since it’s construction in the late 19th century, this Romanesque Revival palace has stimulated the creativity and imagination of an exorbitant amount of artists and innovators such as the likes of Walt Disney, who after visiting the castle in 1955, accompanied by his wife, was inspired to create Disneyland's "Sleeping Beauty" castle.
The color composition of this photograph, Neuschwanstein castle by Schmidt, is reminiscent of the vivid cerulean blue tones of the Rococo, a historical French style which originated in early 18th century Paris that is characterized by illustrious, soft colors, scenes of nature and amorous encounters. The highly-accurate color reproduction and keen attention to detail are extremely significant considerations of this photo documentation, and allow the audience to envision themselves standing alongside the photographer as they attempt to capture its majesty. The technical factors of this image certainly speak to the passion for the craft that this photographer possesses.
Along the horizon of the image, the base of the pristine castle walls are slightly hidden behind the forefront of escalating woodlands. By obstructing the foundation of the building, the photographer is able to create the illusion of a hidden castle amongst the natural landscape, thereby creating even more of a mythical appeal as the deep blue turrets rise above and fade ever so gently into the heavens. One can almost envision climbing these aerial towers, step by step or perhaps ascending up a golden braid of hair, to meet their Prince (or Princess) Charming. This view may also be symbolic for some viewers, like it was for me, as to what we humans have accomplished, overcoming our humble, nature-bound beginnings in order to produce miraculous feats of art and architecture. All those that glance up at this marvel would surely be amazed by the accomplishments of mankind.
At Schmidt Fine Art Gallery, we cherish both this stunning image of the Neuschwanstein castle, but also understand that this image composition, angle, and perspective all exclusively stem from the photographer’s vision. As compelling and beautiful as the picture is, the circumstances that surround and lead to the image being captured hold just as much value. Travel photography is meant to capture a slice of life, and the method of photography should successfully document the feelings and expression of an area's landscape, people, cultures, customs and history. The objective of the travel photographer is to try as best they can to re-create a feeling that is bestowed by a landscape unto the viewer of the image. If you have ever seen a beautiful landscape that you wanted to share, then took out your phone to capture, and ended up being severely underwhelmed by what you saw, then you certainly understand the struggle of travel photography.
Like many local and international tourists both past and present, while traversing the German countryside, trekking down to the far end of Romantic Road Germany, hiking up a hill and eventually reaching the Neuschwanstein Castle, one must be immediately galvanized to capture the fantastical and mythical nature of this royal palace. With its stunning limestone exterior, mesmerizing deep blue turrets, and luscious natural landscapes, it is truly a marvel worthwhile of its praise. While many images of the New Swan Castle (which is a direct German translation of Neuschwanstein castle) are photographed either even with or above the level of the hill on which it sits, this photographer chose to capture the humble perspective from the base of the hill. Thus they bring the audience of this image to the angle that a villager or tourist may actually see prior to embarking on the 30 to 40 minute hike up the hill to the ticket box office or possibly standing in line at this bustling tourist destination. Admittedly, all the waiting is certainly bearable given the opportunity to look up and inspect the encroaching, overwhelming creation of royalty., awaiting their turn to glean the innermost workings of the Bavarian elite and to experience the inner throne rooms, ballrooms like Singer’s Hall, magnificent bedrooms, and ascending towers that grant this royal palace its fame.
During the winter months at the Neuschwanstein castle, typically January to February in Germany, the snowy landscapes, white-capped trees, and grey skies may cause some to draw similarities to a semester at Hogwarts; definitely a more somber experience when compared to the vibrant summer/spring months. But it is worth noting, that it is widely accepted that the best season to visit the Neuschwanstein castle is the autumn months of September and October. During this transitional season of beauty, the leaves turn a brilliant array of fall colors which become even more stunning against the backdrop of this medieval castle.
Neuschwanstein castle by Schmidt is a 5 x 7 Unframed Print with UV coating, and foam backing that offers Free Shipping in the USA. This piece is also available in various sizes and formats that Schmidt Fine Art Gallery has pre-packaged for you. If you are interested in seeing this piece on canvas, we invite you to customize it in our customization shop. This Neuschwanstein castle by Schmidt print is a piece of fine art that makes a perfect wall decoration, poster, gift or postcard image, or photographic print on canvas.
Schmidt Gallery was founded by Kurt Schmidt with the vision to establish a photo-centric gallery in the heart of Montgomery county, Texas. Although it is all run online at the moment, Schmidt Gallery has dreams of opening up a brick and mortar gallery in The Woodlands just north of Houston. Schmidt Fine Art Gallery was founded in March 2020 as a startup funded by All ARK LLC.
