Peter Birmann

Peter Birmann ( born December 24, 1758 in Basel, † July 18, 1844 ) was an important Swiss painter and father of the painter Samuel Birman and adoptive grandfather of the writer Martin Birmann.

Life and work

Birmann was born in 1758 as the son of a stonemason Rudolf Birmann and made an apprenticeship with his father. From 1771, he studied at various artists Switzerland ( incl. August merchant, Marquard Wocher, Johann Ludwig Aberli ). From 1781 to 1790 Birmann lived in Rome and was employed by Louis Ducros and Giovanni Volpato; he also made ​​the acquaintance of Johann Wolfgang Goethe. In 1791 he opened his own workshop in Basel and formed alongside its picturesque work of young artists (eg Achilles Benz, Hieronymus Hess).