Hermann Kern

Background

Kern was born in Liptóújvár, former Kingdom of Hungary, now Liptovský Hrádok, Slovakia. He was the son of a doctor of medicine, Benjamin von Kern, who recognized his exceptional talent at an early age and paid for his education.

Education

He went to Prague in 1854, where he studied under J.B. Klemens, and then attended the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna, where he was instructed by C. Rahl.

Career

At the age of 16 he began his artistic training in Levoča under Theo Böhm. In 1867 he studied in Düsseldorf, and in 1870 he studied under Karl von Piloty at the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich, where he befriended Franz von Defregger. He worked initially in Budapest as a portrait and genre painter.

Later, he moved to Paris.

Kern specialized in portraits and genre scenes. The latter often depicted children at play, music making gypsies, tavern scenes, and single persons.

In 1885 he painted the ceiling decoration of the Szeged Theatre. Media related to Hermann Kern at Wikimedia Commons.

Connections

Friend:

Franz Liszt