Figure 1.-- This painting by Benjamin Vautier depicts aSwiss or German farm boy in the 19th century. Vautier was associated with the Dusseldorfer Academy. We have no biographical information on him at this time. We do know that he married and the boy here may well be his son. The painting is undated, but was probably done in the 1870s.

We do note a portrait painted by Benjamin Vautier. Vautier was associated with the Dusseldorfer Academy. The Düsseldorf School of painting is a group of artists who taught or studied at the Düsseldorf Academy. Vautier painted naturalistic portrait of the farmers in Switzerland and the nearby German Black Forest. Much of his work was genre pieces. He painted naturalistic portraits of the farmers in Switzerland and the nearby German Black Forest. We have archived one portrait by Benjamin Vautier. It is a charming small profile portrait of a young farm boy. He is unidentified and we do not know if he isa Swiss or German boys. It is quite likely that the artist's son may have posed for the portrait. He is wearing a brown jacket and a brown hat with a brim. We believe that this is agood representative as to how farm boys dressed at the time.

Benjamin Vautier

We do note a portrait painted by Benjamin Vautier. Vautier was associated with the Dusseldorfer Academy. We have no biographical information on him at this time. We do know that he married and the boy here may well be his son.

Body of Work

Vautier painted naturalistic portrait of the farmers and their families in Switzerland and the nearby German Black Forest. They are charming genre pieces leaving us woinderful depictins of 19th century scenes. The scenes sepect rimes and peoples thsat were disappearing as aresulkt of industrialization. We also notice some portraits.

Portrait

We have archived one portrait by Benjamin Vautier. It is a charming small profile portrait depicting a farm boy. He is unidentified and we do not know if he is Swiss or German boy and in any case there was little difference. . It is quite likely that the artist's son may have posed for the portrait. He is wearing a brown jacket and a brown hat with a brim. We believe that this is agood representative as to how farm boys dressed at the time. He is depicted on a dark background and the subdued colours or characteristic of the Düsseldorf School. The subdued background adds an air of tranquility to the portrait. The painting is undated, but was probably done in the 1870s.

Genre Scenes

Vautier painted naturalistic portrait of the farmers and their families in Switzerland and the nearby German Black Forest. They are charming genre pieces leaving us woinderful depictins of 19th century scenes. The scenes sepect rimes and peoples thsat were disappearing as aresulkt of industrialization. Ine good example is the "The City Cousin". It is a classic subject, but we can see a comparison between urban and rural clothing. Nuch like Normal Rickewell, the scenes are idealized, but the clothing depictions seem very accurate.

Düsseldorf School

The Düsseldorf School of painting is a group of artists who taught or studied at the Düsseldorf Academy. The Acdemy is now known as the Staatliche Kunstakademie Düsseldorf or Düsseldorf State Art Academy. The Düsseldorf School was most prominante in the 1830s and 1840s. It was directed by the well-known artist Wilhelm von Schadow at the time. The paintings of the Düsseldorf School are destinguished by detailed, but often fanciful landscapes. Religious or alleghorical stories might be included in their landscapes. Many Düsseldorf School artists promoted plain air ("plein air") painting. The School was especially destinguished by the a subdued, often earthy palet. Düsseldorf School artists did not commonly turn to bright colors. The Düsseldorf School was one of the art movements that developed out of the German Romantic movement. The most Prominent artists in the Düsselorf School were: von Schadow, Karl Friedrich Lessing, Johann Wilhelm Schirmer, Andreas Achenbach and Oswald Achenbach. The Düsseldorf School was a major influence on the American Hudson River School.Important American artists trained at the Düsseldorf Academy which thus influenced 19th century American art. The most important were: George Caleb Bingham, Eastman Johnson, Worthington Whittredge, Richard Caton Woodville, William S. Haseltine, James M. Hart, and William Morris Hunt. In addition some Germn artiss who studied at the Academy emigrated to the United States: Emanuel Leutze and Albert Bierstadt.

Created: 5:37 PM 8/16/2006
Last updated: 5:37 PM 8/16/2006