author
Robert Reinick
1805–1852
A German poet and painter of the Romantic era, he is remembered for lyrical verses that composers loved to set to music and for stories written with children in mind. His work moved easily between the visual arts and literature, giving it a gentle, imaginative charm.
1 Audiobook
The King of Root Valley and his curious daughter
by Robert Reinick
About the author
Born in Danzig on February 22, 1805, Robert Reinick built a career in both painting and writing. He studied art in Berlin and became associated with the Düsseldorf school of painting, but his literary work would also bring him lasting attention.
Reinick wrote poetry, fairy tales, and books for children, and his verses found a wide audience in the 19th century. Several major composers were drawn to his words: he wrote the libretto for Robert Schumann's opera Genoveva, and other poems of his were later set to music by composers including Hugo Wolf and Max Bruch.
He died in Dresden on February 7, 1852. Today he is often remembered as a creative figure who bridged image and song as naturally as page and canvas.