Johann Jakob Metzler
German, 1804 – 1839
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Johann Jacob Metzler was a German painter and drawing teacher of the Biedermeier period in the first half of the 19th century.
He spent his childhood in Fürth where his father, Johann Peter Metzler, was a master baker. His talent for drawing was discovered early on, and after primary and secondary school he received drawing lessons from Elias Oehme (1761–1843).
In 1823 he went to Munich and studied painting at the Academy of Fine Arts under Professor Johann Peter von Langer. In addition to his artistic training, he also devoted himself to studying art history and graduated from the academy in 1828 with great success.
After completing his studies, he earned his living as an independent painter of history, portraits and pictures of saints. He also began teaching at private drawing schools immediately after his studies. His success made him head of such an institution in 1836 and developed it into one of the most important institutes in Munich. His pleasant nature made him popular not only with his students, but also with his fellow painters. Among other things, he was friends with Friedrich von Amerling, whom he portrayed when he was in Munich. In the same year, 1839, he fell ill with encephalitis and died fourteen days later at the age of thirty-six.