1848-1904
Bauernfeind was a Jewish painter, illustrator and architect born in Germany. He is considered to be one of the most notable Orientalist painters of Germany.
Although his early works focus on local views of Germany, Bauernfeind fell in love with the Orient upon his travels to the Middle East. He first came to the Holy land in 1880 and revisited a few times until his eventual move to Jerusalem, where he settled with his wife and child in 1896. Sadly he died at his peak, only six years later at the age of 56.
He is most famous for his oriental scenes, notably characterised by his intricate, detailed representations of Jerusalem and Palestine, which are meticulously composed and almost photographically accurate in their craft. It has been stated that he developed this skill during his time training as an architect in Italy. Although his attention to detail was noticeable his work did not attract many buyers due to the mundane nature of his subjects.
After his death Bauernfeind’s work soon became forgotten, until the 1980s when he was suddenly re-discovered. His works started appearing at auction houses selling for high prices, rapidly gaining international demand. His works now have sold for millions of dollars.
Today the ‘Gustav Bauernfeind’ Museum in the artist’s home town of Sulz am Neckar, commemorates his paintings with a large permanent exhibition