John Lewis Krimmel

Background

John Lewis Krimmel was born on May 30, 1786 in Ebingen, Wurttemberg (nowadays Baden-Wurttemberg), Germany.

Education

Though Krimmel may have had some watercolor lessons in London, Johann Ludwig had no real formal training in art.

Career

In 1809 John emigrated to Philadelphia. He planned to engage in business with his brother, but soon abandoned this occupation for art.

Initially, Krimmel painted portraits, but later turned his attention to humorous subjects and historical pictures. In all of his known oils, Krimmel included at least one animal (usually a frisky dog) sometimes two or three.

Krimmel recorded ideas for his pictures in a series of sketchbooks he kept between 1810 and 1821. From late 1816 to 1818, he travelled back to his home region as well as to Vienna and Salzburg, and his sketchbooks were filled with sketches of European landscapes, people, animals and flowers. His encounters with local artists influenced his style to become more maturely romantic.

Achievements

• John Krimmel gained prominence as the most significant American painter of the period 1810 – 1821. Actually he was America's first painter of genre scenes.
  
  He also received a prestigious commission for a large historical work, a 6-foot by 9 foot canvas commemorating the landing of William Penn at New Castle, Delaware, in October 1682.

Works

More photos

• painting

  • Barroom Dancing

  • 4th of July 1819 in Philadelphia

  • Young Girl With A Blue Dress

  • Members of the City Troup and other Philadelphia Soldiery

  • The Village Tavern

  • Pepper-Pot Woman at the Philadelphia Market

  • Black People's Prayer Meeting

  • Fourth of July in Centre Square Philadelphia

  • The Sleighing Frolic

  • Merrymaking at a Wayside Inn

  • Wordly Folk Questioning Chimney Sweeps and Their Master Before Christ Church in Philadelphia

  • Black Sawyers Working in Front ot the Bank of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia

  • Philadelphia Election Day

  • The Quilting Frolic

  • Portrait of Jacob Ritter Sr.

  • Nightlife in Philadelphia - An Oyster Barrow in front of the Chestnut Street Theater

  • Blind Man's Bluff

  • Sunday Morning in front of the Arch Street Meeting House in Philadelphia

  • In an American Inn

  • Country Wedding

Membership

• 

  Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts , United States

• president

  Association of American Artists , United States

  1821

References

• John Lewis Krimmel: Genre Artist of the Early Republic
  1994
• John Lewis Krimmel: An Artist in Federal America (The University of Delaware Press American artists series)
  1988