The Encyclopedia Americana (1920)/Lübke, Wilhelm

LÜBKE, Wilhelm, vĭl'hĕlm lüb'kė, German historian of art: b. Dortmund, Westphalia, 17 Jan. 1826; d. Karlsruhe (Baden), 5 April 1893. He studied at Bonn and Berlin; held the chair of architecture at the Building Academy of Berlin in 1857-61; was professor of the history of art and archæology at the polytechnic school at Zürich 1861-65, at Stuttgart 1866-85 and at the high school in Karlsruhe 1885-93. Chief among his works are ‘Mediæval Art in Westphalia’ (1853), which at once gave him a high place among art critics; the ‘History of Architecture’ (‘Geschichte der Architektur,’ 1855), the first popular manual of. the subject, and a great success; ‘Outlines of the History of Art’ (1860; 11th ed., 1891), translated into English by Clarence Cook, 1880; ‘History of the Renaissance in France’ (1868); ‘History of the Renaissance in Germany’ (1873); ‘Ecclesiastical Art in Germany’ (Eng. trans. by Wheatley, 1876); ‘History of Sculpture’ (Eng. trans, by Bunnet, 1878); ‘History of German Art’ (1888); ‘Recollections’ (1891). He was extremely versatile and previous to his work in art gave instruction in vocal and pianoforte music.