Carl Emil Doepler (1824–1905) was a German painter, illustrator and costume designer.^[1] He created the costumes for Richard Wagner's opera Der Ring des Nibelungen at the Bayreuther Festspiele in 1876.^[1] These costumes included horned helmets and are widely credited with starting the popular myth that Viking warriors wore horned helmets, even though there is no direct archaeological evidence to support this.^[2]

His son, Emil Doepler, was also an artist.

• List of German painters

• Simek, Rudolf (2007) translated by Angela Hall. Dictionary of Northern Mythology. D.S. Brewer ISBN 0-85991-513-1

• Illustrations for Nordisch-Germanische Götter und Helden by Wilhelm Wägner and Jakob Nover, 1882.
• Selected Costume Designs for the premiere performance of Richard Wagner's Der Ring des Nibelingen