Hailing from Dresden, Germany, Benno Fischer was an academy-trained painter of history, genre and portraits. Working during a period of stability and emerging wealth, he became popular with the rising middle classes who sought to decorate their homes with family portraiture.

His education was a formal affair with emphasis placed upon studying the masters, such as the Renaissance luminary Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino. As such, keen draughtsmanship was a prerequisite for success and Fischer would’ve trained extensively - rendering each work with careful attention to intricate details. Each gilded brooch, bracelet, earring, pocket watch, and lace embellishment rendered with precision. Stylistically, his works fit with the requirements of the German Biedermeier period, with patrons seeking to convey their societal standing while retaining a sense of decorum. 

He’s represented in various public collections including museums in Milwaukee and Bratislava. 

Exhibited

Dresden, Berlin.

Public Collections

Haggerty Museum of Art in Milwaukee, Slovak National Gallery, Bratislava City Gallery. 

Timeline

1828

Born in Dresden, Germany.

1848-1853

Studied at the Dresden Academy of Fine Arts.

1849-1860

Works shown in Dresden and Berlin including ‘The Widow’ (1858) and ‘Wood Reader’ (1858).

1853-1856

Studied under the history painter and poet, Julius Hübner (1806-1882).

1865

Died in Dresden, Germany.