Jakob Alt was a German painter, draughtsman and litographer. He was born in Frankfurt am Main. In Frankfurt he also received his first art lessons; his teachers were Johann Friedrich Beer and his son Johann Peter Beer, who was a miniature painter. In 1810 Jakob Alt went to Vienna. At this point the biographers do not agree on whether he actually studied history painting at the Academy there, or whether, after quickly starting a family, he had to work with his landlady and later wife on a new edition of the Vienna city views ("Veduten") produced by Carl Schütz in 1779 to feed the young family. It is certain, however, that he was involved in this work. Subsequently, Alt received a first commission from the Viennese publisher Artaria to produce a series of views of Austrian and neighbouring landscapes. These works were published between 1813 and 1820, and it seems that Alt had taught himself the necessary knowledge of landscape painting to a large extent.
Subsequently, Alt worked together with his colleagues Johann Christoph Erhard, Jakob Gauermann and Johann Adam Klein on coloured etchings for the collection "Malerische Reise durch die schönsten Alpengegenden des österreichischen Kaiserstaates", which was completed in 1822. This was followed by the collection "Danube - Views from the Origin to the Outflows into the Black Sea", which was created from 1822 to 1826 and contains a total of 264 lithographs. In 1823 he began work on the "Excellent Views of the Imperial and Royal Salzkammergut" at the same time. This work, completed in 1833, was created in collaboration with his son Rudolf.
In the following years Alt produced lithographs of Verduten (city views) by his son Rudolf and otherwise devoted himself mainly to watercolour painting. From 1833 onwards, Alt produced 170 of a total of 302 large landscape watercolours for the so-called "Guckkasten" of the soon to be Austrian Emperor Ferdinand. The "Guckkasten" was a device for viewing pictures that were illuminated from behind; in a way, it was an early form of slide viewer. Ferdinand had started this project in 1830 as heir to the throne, and it only ended with his abdication as emperor in 1849.
Jakob Alt died at the age of 83 in Vienna.
Jakob Alt was a German painter, draughtsman and litographer. He was born in Frankfurt am Main. In Frankfurt he also received his first art lessons; his teachers were Johann Friedrich Beer and his son Johann Peter Beer, who was a miniature painter. In 1810 Jakob Alt went to Vienna. At this point the biographers do not agree on whether he actually studied history painting at the Academy there, or whether, after quickly starting a family, he had to work with his landlady and later wife on a new edition of the Vienna city views ("Veduten") produced by Carl Schütz in 1779 to feed the young family. It is certain, however, that he was involved in this work. Subsequently, Alt received a first commission from the Viennese publisher Artaria to produce a series of views of Austrian and neighbouring landscapes. These works were published between 1813 and 1820, and it seems that Alt had taught himself the necessary knowledge of landscape painting to a large extent.
Subsequently, Alt worked together with his colleagues Johann Christoph Erhard, Jakob Gauermann and Johann Adam Klein on coloured etchings for the collection "Malerische Reise durch die schönsten Alpengegenden des österreichischen Kaiserstaates", which was completed in 1822. This was followed by the collection "Danube - Views from the Origin to the Outflows into the Black Sea", which was created from 1822 to 1826 and contains a total of 264 lithographs. In 1823 he began work on the "Excellent Views of the Imperial and Royal Salzkammergut" at the same time. This work, completed in 1833, was created in collaboration with his son Rudolf.
In the following years Alt produced lithographs of Verduten (city views) by his son Rudolf and otherwise devoted himself mainly to watercolour painting. From 1833 onwards, Alt produced 170 of a total of 302 large landscape watercolours for the so-called "Guckkasten" of the soon to be Austrian Emperor Ferdinand. The "Guckkasten" was a device for viewing pictures that were illuminated from behind; in a way, it was an early form of slide viewer. Ferdinand had started this project in 1830 as heir to the throne, and it only ended with his abdication as emperor in 1849.
Jakob Alt died at the age of 83 in Vienna.
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