Ernst Theodor Amadeus Hoffmann (1776-1822)
Germany

There is nothing more marvelous or madder than real life.

Like many Romantics, Hoffmann was educated in law. His interests lay elsewhere; as he drew caricatures of the officials he worked with, he pronounced an affinity for drawing. Yet he pursued music and literature as well as art. His devotion to music was characterized by such passion that he changed his third name, Wilhelm, to Amadeus out of respect for Mozart. He started his life as a composer and music critic in Bamberg, where he composed opera and various works of music. After the French invasion, he became a musical director and music teacher in Berlin. In 1816, he was appointed a position in the Supreme Court. Although he was a success in music, his talents carried him further. His writings, which were primarily bizarre and grotesque tales of Gothicism, have had a profound influence on all things Romantic, surreal, supernatural, and Gothic. The themes of the dopplegänger and reality versus the supernatural were initiated by him. He inspired two ballets, Coppélia and the Nutcracker, and through his mad kappellmeister Kreisleriana, he inspired Schumann. His influence spread as far as the United States, to Hawthorne, Poe, and Irving. His split personality, which would figure as a common theme in many of his tales, allowed him to be a stately court official by day, and a deranged novelist by night. However, his love for drawing caricatures of court officials was never satisfied. He narrowly escaped persecution for such unseemly conduct through his untimely death due to his excessive lifestyle.

Additional Information
Hoffmann Biography http://www.littlebluelight.com/hoffmannframe.html

Sources:

"Hoffmann, E.T.A.," The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. Copyright © 2001 Columbia University Press.