Friedrich von Schmidt was born in Frickenhofen, Gschwend, Württemberg, Germany on 22 October 1825. Von Schmidt was a gifted artisan. For many years he worked as a guild worker, participating in the construction of Cologne Cathedral, where he gained a tremendous amount of experience. In 1856 he passed the state examination to become an architect. He then moved to Milan where he taught architecture and was involved in the restoration of the cathedral of Sant'Ambrogio. In 1859 he relocated to Vienna. It is in Vienna where one can find some of his most impressive architectural feats. One of his crowning achievements was the design of the Vienna City Hall, pictured below. It was built in the Neo-Gothic style.
Friedrich von Schmidt died on 23 January 1891, aged 65.
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On 5 June 1948 Austria issued a set of 7 semi-postal stamps. The highest value of the set depicts Friedrich von Schmidt. The stamp was engraved by Hans Ranzoni.
What drew me to this stamp was the beard and the wonderfully engraved moustache. The textures are vivid and the depth of the beard is believable. I really must one day compile a virtual collection of engraved beards.
Until next time...
Stay Engraver Crazy!
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