Due to his extraordinary talent, Balthasar Denner received commissions early on to create appealing portraits of well-known personalities. Balthasar Denner grew up in Altona, in the immediate vicinity of Hamburg. Balthasar was the oldest of seven siblings. At the tender age of eight, he suffered an accident. The healing process was protracted. As a result, the painter limped all his life. During this phase of his life, Balthasar discovered painting. He proved to have a good hand, copying pictures with great accuracy. Denner received drawing lessons from the Dutch watercolorist and drawing teacher Franz von Amama. At the request of his parents, the young artist first learned the trade of a merchant. He joined the company of an uncle in Hamburg and worked for him for another six years. But in his spare time he gave himself fully to painting.
Relationships and talent helped him land significant commissions. In 1712 Denner was allowed to paint Duke Christian August of Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorf along with his entire family. His result was so convincing that further portraits followed directly at Gottorf Castle in Schleswig. During this time, he created his first large group portrait with 21 people. This was his final breakthrough. Balthasar Denner had made a name for himself. His art was in great demand. Soon after, the painter was constantly traveling. He made stops in Copenhagen, Wolfenbüttel, London, Blankenburg, Dresden, Berlin, Amsterdam and Kiel, among other places. Dukes, kings and even Tsar Peter III could count Balthasar among his customers. The nobles and rich of all Northern Europe knocked on his door.
With the portrait 'Old Woman' he silenced even the last critics. Especially the audience in Rotterdam and London was extremely taken with the work. In professional circles, the work of art was even equated with the world-famous Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci. People were deeply impressed by the meticulous accuracy of the painting. Balthasar had captured every single fold of skin and every little hair in the portrait. At the age of 27, Denner was already a made man. He married Esther Winter, who bore him six children. Since Denner turned out to be a real globetrotter through painting, he took the family with him on his travels. His children were musically gifted and entertained the personalities with musical performances while posing quietly on a chair. His artist models included, for example, the German composer George Frideric Handel, Princess Albertine Frederique of Baden Durlach, and Countess Margaretha Sophia von Hennicke. But there were also moments when Balthasar Denner painted only a glass of beer and a roll on a table. But no matter which motif the artist chose, he knew how to draw the viewer into the scenes.
Due to his extraordinary talent, Balthasar Denner received commissions early on to create appealing portraits of well-known personalities. Balthasar Denner grew up in Altona, in the immediate vicinity of Hamburg. Balthasar was the oldest of seven siblings. At the tender age of eight, he suffered an accident. The healing process was protracted. As a result, the painter limped all his life. During this phase of his life, Balthasar discovered painting. He proved to have a good hand, copying pictures with great accuracy. Denner received drawing lessons from the Dutch watercolorist and drawing teacher Franz von Amama. At the request of his parents, the young artist first learned the trade of a merchant. He joined the company of an uncle in Hamburg and worked for him for another six years. But in his spare time he gave himself fully to painting.
Relationships and talent helped him land significant commissions. In 1712 Denner was allowed to paint Duke Christian August of Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorf along with his entire family. His result was so convincing that further portraits followed directly at Gottorf Castle in Schleswig. During this time, he created his first large group portrait with 21 people. This was his final breakthrough. Balthasar Denner had made a name for himself. His art was in great demand. Soon after, the painter was constantly traveling. He made stops in Copenhagen, Wolfenbüttel, London, Blankenburg, Dresden, Berlin, Amsterdam and Kiel, among other places. Dukes, kings and even Tsar Peter III could count Balthasar among his customers. The nobles and rich of all Northern Europe knocked on his door.
With the portrait 'Old Woman' he silenced even the last critics. Especially the audience in Rotterdam and London was extremely taken with the work. In professional circles, the work of art was even equated with the world-famous Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci. People were deeply impressed by the meticulous accuracy of the painting. Balthasar had captured every single fold of skin and every little hair in the portrait. At the age of 27, Denner was already a made man. He married Esther Winter, who bore him six children. Since Denner turned out to be a real globetrotter through painting, he took the family with him on his travels. His children were musically gifted and entertained the personalities with musical performances while posing quietly on a chair. His artist models included, for example, the German composer George Frideric Handel, Princess Albertine Frederique of Baden Durlach, and Countess Margaretha Sophia von Hennicke. But there were also moments when Balthasar Denner painted only a glass of beer and a roll on a table. But no matter which motif the artist chose, he knew how to draw the viewer into the scenes.
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