The artistic career of Jacob Philipp Hackert spanned several European capitals, evolving from his early training in Brandenburg to his status as a prominent figure in the Classicism movement. Born in 1737 in Prenzlau, he emerged as a landscape painter whose commissions crossed national borders, securing patronage from figures such as Catherine the Great and Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies.
Early Training and Travels
Hackert received his initial instruction from his father, Philipp, a portraitist and animal painter, and his uncle. He enrolled at the Academy of Arts in Berlin in 1758. Following this period, he accepted an invitation from Swedish government official Adolf Friedrich von Olthof to travel to Swedish Pomerania and Stockholm. During this engagement, he executed decorative murals at the estate of his host. Between 1765 and 1768, he lived in Paris with Swiss artist Balthasar Anton Dunker, focusing his efforts on gouache techniques. During this tenure, he encountered the landscape painter Claude Joseph Vernet and the engraver Johann Georg Wille, both of whom influenced his stylistic development.
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In 1768, Hackert moved to Italy with his brother Georg, establishing a base in Rome and Naples. He produced works for Sir William Hamilton while gaining a reputation for his landscapes. His profile expanded throughout Europe following his commissions for Catherine the Great, specifically a cycle depicting the Battle of Chesma, and for Pope Pius VI. By 1786, he entered the service of Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies in Naples. In this capacity, he advised on a restoration laboratory at the Museo di Capodimonte, recommended the appointment of Federico Anders, and oversaw the relocation of Farnese collections from Rome to Naples. He captured regional geography through series depicting the Royal Palace of Caserta and the Bourbon ports.
Late Career and Death
During his time in Italy, Hackert maintained a residence in Posillipo and served as a secret informant for Russia, communicating with diplomat Andrey Razumovsky. He instructed students including Salvatore Fergola and Salvatore Giusti. Following the 1799 declaration of the Parthenopaean Republic, his royal patronage declined, prompting a move to Pisa and eventually Florence. He acquired an estate in San Pietro di Careggi, where he resided until his death in 1807. He was interred in the Dutch garden of Livorno, though his remains were later relocated to the cemetery of the Dutch-German Congregation.
Fast facts
- Born: 1737, Prenzlau
- Died: 1807, Careggi
- Primary Occupation: Landscape painter
- Movement: Classicism
- Education: Academy of Arts, Berlin
- Notable Works: River Landscape with Ruins; The Venus Pond in the Berliner Tiergarten
- Citizenship: Germany
Questions readers ask
Did Hackert ever marry?
He never married, although he resided with his brother for a significant portion of his life and had affairs with married women.
Who authored the first biography of Hackert?
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, who became friends with Hackert in 1786, wrote the initial biography in 1811.
Achievements
- Notable work: River Landscape with Ruins
- Notable work: The Venus Pond in the Berliner Tiergarten
- Notable work: The Venus Pond in the Berliner Tiergarten
- Movement: Classicism
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