Johann Peter Theodor Janssen (12 December 1844,

Düsseldorf Düsseldorf ( , , ; often in English sources; Low Franconian and Ripuarian: ''Düsseldörp'' ; archaic nl, Dusseldorp ) is the capital city of North Rhine-Westphalia, the most populous state of Germany. It is the second-largest city in th ...

– 19 February 1908, Düsseldorf) was a

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...

historical painter.

Biography

Janssen was born in

, son of the engraver (1817–1894), by whom he was first instructed before studying at the

Academy An academy ( Attic Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια; Koine Greek Ἀκαδημία) is an institution of secondary or tertiary higher learning (and generally also research or honorary membership). The name traces back to Plato's school of philosophy ...

under Karl Sohn and Bendemann. He is principally known through a series of decorative works whose monumental style and sound naturalism won him a reputation as one of the foremost historical painters of his time. He became

professor Professor (commonly abbreviated as Prof.) is an Academy, academic rank at university, universities and other post-secondary education and research institutions in most countries. Literally, ''professor'' derives from Latin as a "person who pr ...

at the Düsseldorf Academy in 1877 and its director in 1895, and was elected a member of the

Prussian Academy of Arts The Prussian Academy of Arts (German: ''Preußische Akademie der Künste'') was a state arts academy first established in Berlin, Brandenburg, in 1694/1696 by prince-elector Frederick III, in personal union Duke Frederick I of Prussia, and late ...

in 1885. In Berlin, he worked also for

Emil Hünten Emil Johannes Hünten (19 January 1827 – 1 February 1902) was a German military painter. His works were often lithographed. Biography Born in Paris on 19 January 1827, the son of the composer, Franz Hünten, he studied art under Hippolyte ...

. His more important mural paintings include: * "The Colonization of the Baltic Coast" (1872), in the exchange at

Bremen Bremen (Low German also: ''Breem'' or ''Bräm''), officially the City Municipality of Bremen (german: Stadtgemeinde Bremen, ), is the capital of the German state Free Hanseatic City of Bremen (''Freie Hansestadt Bremen''), a two-city-state consis ...

* "The Myth of Promethus," in 12 compositions, in the second Cornelius Room of the National Gallery in

Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitue ...

* "Seven Momentous Episodes in the History of Erfurt" (1882), Town Hall,

Erfurt Erfurt () is the capital and largest city in the Central German state of Thuringia. It is located in the wide valley of the Gera river (progression: ), in the southern part of the Thuringian Basin, north of the Thuringian Forest. It sits i ...

* "Human Life," "Imagination," "Beauty," and "Nature," in the Aula of the Düsseldorf Academy Of his oil paintings, the "Denial of

Peter Peter may refer to: People * List of people named Peter, a list of people and fictional characters with the given name * Peter (given name) ** Saint Peter (died 60s), apostle of Jesus, leader of the early Christian Church * Peter (surname), a sur ...

" is in the

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...

; the "Infancy of

Bacchus In ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, myth, Dionysus (; grc, wikt:Διόνυσος, Διόνυσος ) is the god of the grape-harvest, winemaking, orchards and fruit, vegetation, fertility, insanity, ritual madness, religious ecstas ...

" (1882) excited great admiration at the International Exhibition in

Munich Munich ( ; german: München ; bar, Minga ) is the capital and most populous city of the States of Germany, German state of Bavaria. With a population of 1,558,395 inhabitants as of 31 July 2020, it is the List of cities in Germany by popu ...

; and "Walther Dodde and the Peasants of Berg before the Battle of Worringen, 1288" (Düsseldorf Gallery), a composition of great dramatic power, containing many life-size figures, was awarded the great gold medal in Berlin in 1893. He was the brother of sculptor

Karl Janssen Karl Janssen (29 May 1855 — 2 December 1927) was a German sculptor working in the Baroque revival tradition; he was born and died in Düsseldorf. Biography Born in a family of artists, his father was an engraver and his brother Peter Janssen w ...

whose works include the monument to the Kaiser at Düsseldorf, and "Woman Hewing Stone," in the National Gallery, Berlin.

Selected paintings

File:Hermann warrior.jpg, The Advancing, Victorious

Arminius Arminius ( 18/17 BC – 21 AD) was a chieftain of the Germanic Cherusci tribe who is best known for commanding an alliance of Germanic tribes at the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest in 9 AD, in which three Roman legions under the command of ge ...

(german: Hermann), 9 A.D. (Krefeld, 1870–1873) File:FriedrichBarbarossa.jpg, Submission of

Henry the Lion Henry the Lion (german: Heinrich der Löwe; 1129/1131 – 6 August 1195) was a member of the Welf dynasty who ruled as the duke of Saxony and Bavaria from 1142 and 1156, respectively, until 1180. Henry was one of the most powerful German p ...

Frederick Barbarossa Frederick Barbarossa (December 1122 – 10 June 1190), also known as Frederick I (german: link=no, Friedrich I, it, Federico I), was the Holy Roman Emperor from 1155 until his death 35 years later. He was elected King of Germany in Frankfurt on ...

, 1181 (Erfurt, 1879–1882) File:Worringen 1288.jpg, Walter Dodde and the Bergish Peasants at the Battle of Worringen, 1288 (Düsseldorf, 1893) File:Peter Janssen, Kaiser Friedrich II.jpg, The

Teutonic Knights The Order of Brothers of the German House of Saint Mary in Jerusalem, commonly known as the Teutonic Order, is a Catholic religious institution founded as a military society in Acre, Kingdom of Jerusalem. It was formed to aid Christians on ...

departing for Prussia take leave of

Emperor Frederick II Frederick II (German: ''Friedrich''; Italian: ''Federico''; Latin: ''Federicus''; 26 December 1194 – 13 December 1250) was King of Sicily from 1198, King of Germany from 1212, King of Italy and Holy Roman Emperor from 1220 and King of Jerusa ...

, 1236 (Marburg, 1895–1903)

References

External links

* Homepage about (Johann) Peter (Theodor) Janssen 1844 - 190

{{DEFAULTSORT:Janssen, Peter 19th-century German painters 19th-century German male artists German male painters 20th-century German painters 20th-century German male artists 1844 births 1908 deaths Kunstakademie Düsseldorf alumni Kunstakademie Düsseldorf faculty History painters Artists from Düsseldorf