hen the help-mate of his life was taken away, felt
utterly desolate and disabled. He had never been accustomed to look
after the house; some thirty poor families are said to have been
dependent on his bounty; but as for himself he took little thought, and
all he desired was to be saved from mundane cares. In Rome there
happened to be a certain family of Hoffmanns, who, like the painter, had
forsaken Protestantism for Catholicism. They were endowed with the
worldly faculties in which the Christian artist was wanting, and so a
close relationship had conveniently grown up. Overbeck, on the death of
his wife, being absolutely incapable of getting on alone, arranged to
live with this family; moreover, he adopted Madame Hoffmann, a lady of
forty, as his daughter, and the adoption included the husband and the
children. They seem to have made him comfortable, and letters exist
which give expression to his gratitude. They, on their side, reaped
their reward, inasmuch as on the death of the good artist they came into
the possession of the contents of his studio, his papers, and
correspondence, moneys, and all other properties. After the aforesaid
family arrangement, the blood relations found little favour, and all who
bore the name of Overbeck were cut off without a shilling.

Earthly trouble did but turn the painter's gaze heavenwards, and his
art, which in time of trial came as consolation, grew all the more
spiritual as it passed through waters of affliction. Few painters, even
in the good old days, obtained so sympathetic a public. Belief in a
mission begat like faith in others, and so solicitations came for
drawings and pictures far in excess of available time and strength.
Certain commissions could not be entertained, secular subjects had been
long eschewed, religion and the Church were alone accounted worthy of
service. Therefore, in genial mood, was the great picture for Cologne
Cathedral undertaken and carried out. The work occupied no less than
nine years; the cartoon was already in course of preparation in 1846,
and the picture reached completion in 1855. But, as with other
engagements, the negotiations and preliminary correspondence extended
over a longer period. Thus, as far back as 23rd August, 1829, Overbeck,
while working on the Assisi fresco, writes from Santa Maria degli Angeli
to his friend Mosler, stating that the Dusseldorf Kunst-Verein wish for
some picture; but prior engagements stand in the way: he foresees