Ernst Friedrich August Rietschel was a well-known German sculptor. Born as the third child of Friedrich Ehrgott Rietschel and his wife Caroline, he began his art studies at the age of 20. He studied under Rauch in Berlin and later in Rome in 1827. Upon returning to Saxony, he gained recognition with a colossal statue of Luther and was elected a member of the Dresden Academy. He was appointed as the Dresden professor of sculpture in 1832 and received many foreign orders of merit.
Rietschel's style varied, producing works with religious feeling and classical style. He was known for his portrait figures of eminent men and his religious pieces of sculpture, such as the Christ-Angel and a life-sized Piet. He also worked in relief and created a series of pieces representing "Night and Morning" and "Noon and Twilight". Rietschel was married three times and had a son from his third marriage. He died in Dresden in 1861 at the age of 56 and is buried in the Trinitatisfriedhof, north-east of the city centre.