After private lessons at home, he was sent to study at the
Schnepfenthal Salzmann School, where his father had been a student. After 1847, he attended the
Maria-Magdalenen-Gymnasium in
Breslau; graduating in 1851 with an
Abitur. He first expressed his artistic ambitions during an extended trip to Italy with his father and his second wife Baroness Isabella von
Pfister (1812-1896), but his father was insistent that he, as the eldest son, should succeed him as landlord. on the In pursuit of that goal, he studied the natural sciences and law at
Humboldt University; as well as receiving practical training on his father's estates, while he continued to draw and paint in his free time. His father eventually relented, and agreed to seek the opinion of a third party; showing his works to
Stanislaus von Kalckreuth, a Professor at the
Kunstakademie Düsseldorf. When the Professor commented very favorably, he was allowed to enroll at the Kunstakademie where, at the age of twenty-six, he was much older than most of his fellow students. Kalckreuth became his mentor. In 1859, Kalckreuth was offered the position of Director at the
Grand-Ducal Saxon Art School, Weimar. He accepted the offer, and Harrach followed him. While a student there, he made several study trips; notably to the
Alps and England. During the
Austro-Prussian War, he was a reserve officer. In 1868, he married Countess Helene von Pourtalès (1849–1940), and settled in Berlin. By this time, some of his paintings had been exhibited, in Dresden as well as Berlin. He also began receiving commissions from the nobility, for portraits. During the
Franco-Prussian War, he was given the position of
orderly officer on the staff of Crown Prince (later Kaiser)
Frederick III, and was involved in drafting designs for the new
Imperial German Coat-of-Arms. In 1873, the death of his aunt
Auguste, Princess of Liegnitz gave him the opportunity to acquire some land of his own. He bought
Tiefhartmannsdorf Castle, which became his new family home. He and his wife, Countess Helene von
Pourtales (1849-1940) had eight children altogether, but four died in childhood. Their son,
Count Hans Albrecht von Harrach, became a well known sculptor. In 1892, he was named a Professor at the
Academy of Arts. The following year, he became a Senator on their governing board. In 1895, he was awarded a large gold medal at the
Große Berliner Kunstausstellung. He was President of the Kunstausstellung in 1896. On his seventieth birthday, the occasion was noted with an article in the
Vossische Zeitung. In 1912, on his eightieth birthday, he was honored by an exhibit devoted exclusively to his works. In her memoirs, Helene says that he painted "every day of his life". ==References==