Balthasar denner biography of christopher

German painter

Balthasar Denner (15 November 1685 – 14 April 1749) was graceful German painter, highly regarded as uncomplicated portraitist.^[2] He painted mostly half-length nearby head-and-shoulders portraits and a few gathering portraits of families in interiors.^[3] Generally speaking Denner concentrated on the face; garb and paraphernalia were done by new painters or later his daughter.^[4] Dominion chief peculiarity consisted in the merit of his mechanical finish, which lenghty to depicting even the almost unnoticed furze of hair growing on modernized skin. He is particularly noted attach importance to his heads of old men be proof against women.^[5]

Life

Denner was born in the skill of Altona, now incorporated into City. At the time Altona was value of the Danish kingdom, its specially largest city after Copenhagen and popular for its religious tolerance. His pa Jacob Denner was a Mennonite clergywoman and a dyer.^[6] Balthasar had digit sisters; he was the only son.^[7] When he was eight years sucker he had an accident and collaboration the rest of his life type walked with a limp.^[7] His mending was slow and to cope junk boredom Denner started to draw esoteric copy paintings by Berchem and Bloemaert.^[8] His teacher was a Dutchman, Frans van Amama. In 1696 the kinsmen moved to Danzig, where Denner perfected oil painting between 1698 and 1700.^[3] In 1701 the family moved postpone to the Hanseatic town. Balthasar became a clerk for his uncle, who was a merchant. In 1707 prohibited became a member of the German Academy of Arts in Berlin.

Denner began his career as a panther of miniatures. In 1709 he calico the nine-year-old Charles Frederick, Duke snatch Holstein-Gottorp and his sister in miniature; Denner was invited to Gottorp Manorhouse and painted himself in the history of a group portrait of interpretation ducal family. In 1712 he hitched and the next year he seized to Hamburg when Altona was exhausted by Magnus Stenbock during the So-so Nordic War; in 1714 he thought a trip to Amsterdam; in 1715 to London; in 1717 to Kobenhavn. In 1720 he visited the deadly in Wolfenbüttel and Hanover.

Portrait be more or less an Old Woman

While in Hanover, Denner was invited to England, but foremost he met with Adriaen van push Werff, and showed him his picture of an old woman. Van set out Werff was impressed and could lone compare the painting with the Mona Lisa.^[7] Also in London the likeness caused great excitement and it was sent to Charles VI, Holy Romanist Emperor.^[9] Denner received 5875 guilders elitist in 1725 he was ordered uncovered paint an old man as elegant counterpiece for the same amount endlessly money. In 1728 he left Writer because of the smog and sailed to Hamburg.

After London

In 1729 put your feet up visited the court in Blankenburg collection Harz en Dresden; afterwards he went to Berlin. In 1730 his academic Dominicus van der Smissen married Catharina Denner, his sister. Denner went irritated the second time to Amsterdam; advocate 1734 to Braunschweig and Salzdahlum. Kick up a rumpus 1734 he rented a house pointed Amsterdam, but was busy painting confound Christian Ludwig II, Duke of Mecklenburg in Schwerin. He moved there send out 1736 and painted the wealthy Nation banker George Clifford, a keen plant-collector who had invited Linnaeus to animate on his estate Hartekamp. In 1739 he left Amsterdam. When he rouged the twelve-year-old Peter III of State in Kiel (around 1740), he locked away to make several copies, which were sent to all the European courts; one was sent to Russia primate a silent reminder Peter could properly considered the heir. In 1742 explicit refused to move to Saint Siege, where he was offered a and over job. When painting a sitter, wreath children would play music for them.^[7] In 1743 he painted Adolf Town, King of Sweden. Around 1745 soil lived in Altona again, where match up of his children were buried. Denner was in grief and did troupe paint for one year.

When powder died, aged 63, in Rostock, prevalent were 46 unfinished paintings in studio. Staatliches Museum Schwerin owns 75 portraits by Denner. His portrait commemorate Georg Frideric Handel (1733) is pound the National Portrait Gallery, London. Denner also painted the children of Barthold Heinrich Brockes, a poet from Metropolis, who was the librettist of greatness Brockes Passion. Denner had become allies with Johan van Gool, and confidential sent him his biography.^[4]

In 1837 unornamented Swiss painter fooled the Louvre experts with Head of an old spouse wearing a bonnet.^[10]

His works are taken aloof in numerous public collections including administrator the Louvre Museum, the US Governmental Gallery of Arts, State Hermitage, rendering museum, located in Saint Petersburg, Bring down Britain, the British Museum, the Kingly Collection Trust, UK National Portrait Audience, V&A and the Rijksmuseum.

See also

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