Weber, Carl Phillip

Carl Philipp Weber was born in Darmstadt, Germany to Carl and Eleanor Weber in 1849. They immigrated as a family to Pennsylvania in 1853 where they eventually settled in Germantown, PA. His father was a well-regarded as a violinist and supported the family as a music teacher. Carl Philipp's uncle was the landscape artist Gottlieb Daniel Paul Weber (German, 1823-1916), who worked in Philadelphia from 1849 through his return to Europe in 1857. Carl traveled to Germany where he studied painting alongside his cousin Carl C. Weber (Philadelphia, 1855-1929) under Paul Weber as well as August Von Kreling (German, 1819-1876).

In 1874, Carl Philipp returned to Philadelphia where he lived with his father and shared a studio with his cousin. His 1880 and 1881 exhibitions at the National Academy of Design note his address as 1334 Chestnut Street in Philadelphia and by 1888 he moved his studio to 1134 Arch Street. His work included scenes of Lake George and the Hudson River Valley, as well as many other sketches throughout the Adirondack Mountains. He exhibited at the Art Institute of Chicago and regularly at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts from 1876 through 1891, also being an active member of the Boston Art Club and the Philadelphia Artists Fund Society.

The close working relationship and ages between Carl Weber and his cousin Carl Philipp Weber has led to some confusion among galleries and auction houses in attributing their work. 

While both men studied under Paul Weber and focused on landscapes with an overall Barbizon influence, Carl Weber was heavily influenced by his father's passion for German Romantic elements and he excelled at watercolor painting. His paintings are often characterized by strong contrasts in light and dark, emphasis of focal points using vivid light and also his inclusion of animals in his work. On the other hand, Carl Philipp became a very accomplished painter of coastal scenes and landscapes with a distinctive luminist style of painting. Further distinguishing the men is the signatures. Carl Weber exclusively signed his work "Carl Weber" in bold flowing script, generally with great flourish to the W and a swirling ellipses from the R underlining the signature; Carl Phillip Weber signed his work for the most part as "Carl Ph. Weber" in a more standard block script. For examples of the differences in taste, style and signatures, view our current gallery inventory and our archives; we have carried works from both artists and have extensive close up photography available for comparison studies. While both painters were prolific and well-exhibited, Carl Philipp's work is rather scarce on the open market compared to the higher output of his cousin.

Artist Listings & Bibliography:

• Mantle Fielding's Dictionary of American Painters, Sculptors and Engravers, Opitz, 1983, p. 988
• E. Benezit Dictionary of Artists, Vol. XIV, Gründ, 2006, p. 711
• Exhibition of the  National Academy, 1861-1900, Vol. II, Kennedy Galleries, 1973, p. 1000