Jakob Becker
Realistic genre paintings of peasants
Jakob Becker was a German artist noted mainly for his genre paintings of peasants. He was born in Dittelsheim at Worms, and began his studies with Franz Nikolaus Jung in Worms. When he was 17 years old he started to work as a lithographer. His first important work was a panorama over the Rhine from Mainz to Cologne. Between 1833 and 1841 Becker studied at the Academy of Art in Düsseldorf; his professors were Johann Wilhelm Schirmer and Wilhelm von Schadow. In 1842 he became professor of genre painting and landscape painting at the Städel in Frankfurt. Becker is associated with the Düsseldorf school of painting. He broke with the lofty attitude of much Biblical historical painting in the Städel creating his profane scenes. As the first professor of landscape and genre painting, he sought his subjects in the countryside and was especially interested in the social problems of the peasantry. He used much realistic detail and emotional gesture. He was also open to French influences. In 1858 he offered to share his studio with Gustave Courbet and – despite having to endure some rudeness from the French artist – Becker accepted some of his stylistic influences. Becker taught successfully at the academy for thirty years. Some of his pupils were to form the Kronberg Painters' Colony one generation later. One of his best-known works was Praying Peasant Family. Becker died in Frankfurt am Main on 22 December 1872.
Relationship Network
Master student
- Johann Wilhelm Schirmer Master
- Wilhelm von Schadow Master
- Anton Burger Student
- Hugo Kauffmann Student
- Jakob Maurer Student
- Julius Hamel Student
- Karl Friedrich Harveng Student
- Karl Raupp Student
- Leopold Bode Student
- Otto Scholderer Student
- Philipp Rumpf Student
- Thomas Herbst Student
Fellow student
Influenced by
Artworks by this artist (425 total)
- Chor einer romanischen Kirche
- Man with beard and hat ca. 1838
- Tree
- Tree ca. 1856 [-] 1857
- Drei Hufschmiede bei der Arbeit 1841
- Kniendes Mädchen nach links mit einem Kleinkind im linken Arm
- Kleines Bauernmädchen ein anderes Huckepack tragend
- Peasant with hat and walking stick
- Single figure
- Young farmer with cap
- Studienblatt; Männlicher Akt mit Schubkarren, stehender Bauer
- Auf dem Boden sitzende Bäuerin, in ihrer Linken eine Frucht vorhaltend
- Bärtiger Mann mit abgenommenen Hut und Mantel über dem Arm, in der Linken ein Stab
- Bäuerin, hinter einem vom Blatt lesenden Mädchen stehend
- Bauern auf der Rückkehr von der Feldarbeit, die untere Hälfte eines Frauenkopfes
- Dog in front of its hut
- Junger Mann mit Buch in einem Sessel sitzend
- Arbeitende Frau vor einem kleinen Haus
- Dawn on the fields
- Bauernjunge und Bauernmädchen