Hans Thoma Facts for Kids

Self portrait in a Birch Grove (1899)

Hans Thoma (born October 2, 1839 – died November 7, 1924) was a German painter. He is known for his unique art style, which was inspired by the simple life in his home region and by older German artists.

Early Life and Training
Career and Recognition
Art Style
Famous Works
Art and History
Images for kids
See also

Early Life and Training

Hans Thoma was born in Bernau in the Black Forest, Germany, on October 2, 1839. His father was a miller. Hans learned the basics of painting from a painter who decorated clock faces.

In 1859, he joined the Karlsruhe Academy. There, he studied under Johann Wilhelm Schirmer and Ludwig des Coudres. Ludwig des Coudres greatly influenced Hans's art career.

Career and Recognition

Hans Thoma later studied and worked in several cities. These included Düsseldorf, Paris, and Munich. He also spent time in Italy and Frankfurt. At first, he did not find much success.

However, his reputation grew after an exhibition in Munich. About thirty of his paintings were shown there. Hans Thoma died in Karlsruhe in 1924. He was 85 years old.

Art Style

Hans Thoma's art style was very unique. It was different from many modern art ideas of his time. His art was shaped by two main things:

His early memories of the peaceful life in his home region.
His admiration for early German masters. These included artists like Albrecht Altdorfer and Lucas Cranach the Elder.

Thoma loved to paint nature in great detail. He drew outlines very precisely. He also preferred to use strong, local colors. Because of these qualities, his art is similar to the Pre-Raphaelites. This was a group of artists who also focused on detail and bright colors.

Famous Works

Many of Hans Thoma's paintings are in private collections. Some of his important works can be found in museums. For example, the Galerie Neue Meister has a self-portrait of the artist. It also has two other paintings: The Guardian of the Valley and Spring Idyll.

The Städel museum owns Eve in Paradise and The Open Valley. Other well-known pictures by Thoma include:

Paradise
Christ and Nicodemus
The Flight into Egypt
Charon
Pietà
Adam and Eve
Solitude
Tritons

He also created many landscapes and portraits. Besides paintings, Thoma made many lithographs and pen drawings. He also painted some decorative mural paintings. You can see these in a café in Frankfurt and in a music room in Munich.

Art and History

During the time of the Third Reich (1933-1945), Hans Thoma's artwork was very popular. He was listed as an official painter. Sadly, some of his artworks were taken from their owners during this period.

For example, Badende Jünglinge (bathing boys) was taken from a Jewish collector named Adolf Bensinger in 1939. Another painting, Blick auf Mamolsheim, was taken from Jewish collectors Martin and Florence Flersheim.

Other artworks by Thoma that were acquired during this time from Jewish collectors include:

Dusk at Lake Garda (from Ottmar Strauss)
Springtime in the Mountains/Children’s Dance (sold under pressure by Hedwig Ullmann)
Sinnendes Mädchen / Frau mit Schimmel (‘Pensive Girl/Women with White Horse’) (taken from Smoschewer)
The Rhine at Säckingen in the Black Forest (formerly owned by Max Emden)

The German Lost Art Database lists several paintings by Thoma that were taken unfairly.