Peter Janssen

Johann Peter Theodor Janssen, called Peter Janssen the Elder ( born December 12, 1844 in Dusseldorf, † February 19, 1908 ) was a German painter.

Life

Peter Janssen was born as the first son of the engraver and co-founder of the Düsseldorf artist association " paintbox " Tamme Weyert Theodor Janssen (1816-1894) and his wife Laura (1822-1899), born Hasenclever. He had two brothers, the architect Theodor (1846-1886) and the sculptor Karl ( 1855-1927 ).

The age of 14 Janssen joined the Dusseldorf Art Academy, where he studied with Karl Ferdinand Sohn and Wilhelm Bendemann. After his education he traveled in 1864 through Holland and Belgium. In 1865, he worked in Munich and Dresden. In Berlin, he worked on the side of Emil Hünten.

On September 5, 1873 he married the Jewess Constanze Gottschalk. With her he had four children. The eldest son, Peter ( * 1874), was father of the artist Peter Janssen the Younger. The son Otto was in Münster university teacher of philosophy.

1877 Janssen was appointed professor at the Dusseldorf Art Academy and in 1895 was appointed director.

Work

Janssen painted several series of paintings including a. Using events from the history of Erfurt, which today hangs in the ballroom of the local town hall In the town hall and there is a painting of the Battle of Worringen. Other works of this genre deal with the Battle of Torgau (1760 ), the Battle of Hohenfriedberg ( 1745) and the Battle of Fehrbellin (1675 ).

Illustrations (selection)

• In: Wendt, Gustav. Ballads Kranz: collected from German poets. - Berlin:. Grote, 1866 Digitized edition of the University and State Library Dusseldorf