Ludwig Binder (1911 – 1978)

Ludwig Binder was an academic painter and graphic artist. His life was determined by his artistic talent and interest in nature. After two semesters at the art school in Nuremberg, he moved up to the master class of Prof. Selzer. In 1930 he attended the Academy of Applied Arts in Munich as a student of Prof. Jank. From 1932 onwards he worked as an illustrator for the magazines "Jugendlust", "Deutscher Jäger" and for the Delicia publishing house in Leipzig as an animal painter. Later he created illustrations for a wasp book for the Schreiber publishing house in Munich.

Afterwards, the Bayerische Schulbuchverlag in Munich made him its main collaborator. His animal illustrations appeared in 1952/53 in "Die Biologie" by Prof. Dr. Max von Frisch and in 1957/59 in the animal science books by Prof. Dr. Walter Wüst. He was also active for the Schmeil- Tierkunde. Since 1962, his bird and plant drawings in the "Sammlung Naturkundlicher Tafeln" made him world-famous. It was this work that was to be considered his major lifetime achievement.

A reviewer in the “Blättern für Lehrerbildung” commented on Binder's drawings around 1953: "Ludwig Binder from Bamberg is a very great artist. He possesses reverent devotion before the creature and such a disciplined hand as I know of no other. Anyone who has ever seen an original drawing by Binder must admire this rare artist."

Ludwig Binder was a keen observer. He drew animals and plants with great love and an exceptional naturalistic style. In doing so, he met all the scientific demands of zoologists as well as all the expectations of artistic expression. His drawings reveal the individuality of the animals he observed. His colourful drawings of songbirds in their natural habitat and in typical postures, the surface treatment of their plumage achieved by him is so skilful that one believes one is looking at live birds whose down would move if one blew on them.