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Biography: Freitag
(b Germany, 1802; d Brooklyn, New York, 1984) American Painter. Conrad Freitag departed Germany, the date unknown, and embarked on a journey to America. Freitag made a home for himself in Brooklyn, New York. In 1862, Freitag enlisted in the Army and served in the Civil War at the young age of 19. However, Freitag’s service was short-lived, for he was wounded in the Battle of Spotsylvania, Laurel Hill, Virginia the following year. It was not until he returned to New York and painted the scene of the battle where he was hurt, that he realized his potential. Following this recognition, the talented artist began to paint maritime life, including depictions of ships in the New York harbor, or sailing boats in nearby waters. While the artist did not have an enormous following, he did have the financial support of William Garner, a commodore of the New York Yacht Club. Garner sustained Freitag’s career for a number of years until his drowning in 1875 due to a boating accident in the waters of Staten Island. Freitag found it difficult to maintain a career in art without the monetary backing of Garner. Freitag is noted for his ability to portray period ships with a great sense of detail and accuracy.
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