1824-1911

Heinrich Hofmann, one of Germany’s most celebrated religious painters of the late nineteenth century, was born in Darmstadt, Germany. At age eighteen he entered the celebrated Düsseldorf Academy of Art, which emphasized the depiction of Christian subjects.

He spent the following twelve years painting in Darmstadt and studying in Europe’s major art centers including Antwerp, Paris, Munich, Dresden, Prague, Venice, and Rome. In the process, Hofmann developed his own richly realistic style based on his study of German, Dutch, and Italian Old Masters.

In 1862 he moved to the larger city of Dresden where he lived for nearly five decades. Several of his religious works have been widely reproduced and displayed in Christian churches and homes throughout the world.