Janus Genelli (1761,

Copenhagen Copenhagen ( ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a population of 1.4 million in the Urban area of Copenhagen, urban area. The city is situated on the islands of Zealand and Amager, separated from Malmö, Sweden, by the ...

- 1813,

Berlin Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...

) was a German painter of Italian descent. He specialized in Classical landscapes.

Biography

He came from a family of artists that originated in Rome. Around 1730, for unknown reasons, they emigrated to Denmark and settled in Copenhagen. His father, Joseph, worked as a silk knitter and embroiderer. They moved again in 1774, emigrating to Berlin by way of Vienna, to assist

Frederick the Great Frederick II (; 24 January 171217 August 1786) was the monarch of Prussia from 1740 until his death in 1786. He was the last Hohenzollern monarch titled ''King in Prussia'', declaring himself ''King of Prussia'' after annexing Royal Prussia ...

in establishing a tapestry school. It was there, around 1780, that he became a student of

Blaise Nicholas Le Sueur Blaise Nicholas Le Sueur (29 October 1714 - 19 January 1783) was a German painter and engraver of allegorical and historical subjects.

, Director of the

Academy of Arts An academy (Attic Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια; Koine Greek Ἀκαδημία) is an institution of tertiary education. The name traces back to Plato's school of philosophy, founded approximately 386 BC at Akademia, a sanctuary of Athena, the go ...

. In 1786, he took a study trip to Rome, via Dresden, with his brother, the architect . There, he became acquainted with

Jakob Philipp Hackert Jacob Philipp Hackert (15 September 1737 – 28 April 1807) was a landscape painter from Brandenburg, who did most of his work in Italy. Biography Hackert was born in 1737 in Prenzlau in the Margraviate of Brandenburg (now in Germany). He t ...

, who had a significant influence on his landscape style. From 1803, he served as a drawing teacher for Queen Luise von Preußen and Crown Prince Friedrich Wilhelm, who was then only eight years old.Margret Dorothea Minkels: ''Die Stifter des Neuen Museums Friedrich Wilhelm IV. von Preußen und Elisabeth von Bayern.'' Norderstedt 2012, , pg.6. Janus Genelli - Harzlandschaft

His works depict an ideal nature, with warm colors, even when dealing with dark subjects. Among his best works are his depictions of the

Harz The Harz (), also called the Harz Mountains, is a highland area in northern Germany. It has the highest elevations for that region, and its rugged terrain extends across parts of Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Thuringia. The name ''Harz'' der ...

region and its mountains. His total output was rather small, and mostly unfamiliar today. It seems, however, that his works were highly regarded by his contemporaries. He was the father of

Bonaventura Genelli Giovanni Bonaventura Genelli (28 September 179813 November 1868) was an Italian painter. Biography Genelli was born in Berlin in 1798. He was the son of Janus Genelli, a painter whose landscapes are still preserved in the Schloss at Berlin; and ...

, a well-known painter and graphic artist.

References

External links

Biographical notes
@ Deutsche Biographie {{DEFAULTSORT:Genelli, Janus 1761 births 1813 deaths 18th-century German painters 18th-century German male artists German landscape painters German people of Italian descent Painters from Copenhagen 19th-century German painters 19th-century German male artists Danish emigrants Immigrants to the Kingdom of Prussia Painters from the Kingdom of Prussia