Paul Emil Jacobs

Paul Emil Jacobs
Paul-Emil-Jacobs, Stele in Gotha (detail)
Born	20 August 1802 Gotha, Germany
Died	6 Januar, 1866 Gotha, Germany
Nationality	German
Education	Munich Academy of Fine Arts
Known for	Painter
Notable work	Portraits, Orientalist themes, Nudes
Movement	Orientalist

Paul Emil Jacobs (August 20, 1802 in Gotha – January 6, 1866) was a German painter, noted for Orientalist themes, portraits and nudes.^[1]

Life and career[]

Paul Emil Jacobs' depiction of Ali Pasha and his favorite mistress (or wife) Kira Vassiliki - one of Jacobs' paintings depicting Orientalist themes.

Jacobs, son of the philologist Frederick Jacobs, received his art training at the Munich Academy of Fine Arts and first became known for his painting of Mercury and Argus (from Classical mythology). In 1824 he went to Rome, where he attracted critical attention by painting "The Raising of Lazarus". In 1836 he made a series of historical paintings at the Welfenschloss in Hannover.

The Paul Emil Jacobs monument in Gotha

Jacobs was noted for his mastery of nudes, expressed particularly in the representation of such Orientalist themes as "A slave market" or of sleeping and waking naked boys.

Graceful depictions of the female body include his "A Harem Beauty At Her Toilette" and "Zither-playing Turk". His image of Scheherezade from Arabian Nights is noted for its light effects. The famous Ali Pasha was depicted by Jacobs in a moment of relaxed intimacy with his favorite mistress (or wife) Kira Vassiliki.

Like many Europeans of his generation, Jacobs shared in the Philhellene sympathy for the Greek War of Independence, which took place when he was in the early stage of his artistic career. This was manifested in his painting very sympathetic pictures of "Greek Freedom Fighters".

Jacobs was also a portrait painter. Lithographed portraits by him include those of Goethe, Karl Gottlieb Bretschneider and .

In 1844, Jacobs created the monumental altarpiece "Calvary", for in Gotha. It was removed from St. Augustine's in 1939, and since 1998 the altarpiece has been located in the church of Hohenleuben.

Jacobs was married to Louise Jahn, and his grandson Emil Jacobs (1868–1940) was a librarian and head of the library at the University of Freiburg.

See also[]

• List of Orientalist artists
• Orientalism

References[]

• Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (1900). Descriptive Catalogue of the Permanent Collections of Works of Art on Exhibition in the Galleries. The Academy. Retrieved 2021-05-02.

External links[]

• Jacobs' "Ali Pasha and Kira Vassiliki" auctioned by Sotheby's London on April 17, 2008
• Jacobs paintings including: "The Pasha’s Favourite" (Ali Pasha And Kira Vassiliki);"A Harem Beauty At Her Toilette"; "Archangel Gabriel"; "Archangel Michael With Sword And Scale"; "Praying Roman Lady"; "Mount Calvary"; "Judith And Holofernes", "Ali Pasha" and "Two Greek Freedom Fighters"

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