Hieronymus Hess

Hieronymus Hess (15 April 1799, Basel – 8 June 1850, Basel ) was a Swiss painter and artist from Basel.

Early life and education Hieronymus was on the 15 April 1799 as the youngest of four sons. His father was Johannes Hess, an immigrant to Basel from Maisprach, and his mother Margaretha Roth. His interest for drawing and painting was soon discovered, but as he grew up in a working-class family and a safe income was more important that art, he began as an apprentice at a house painters workshop. But the as Hess adorned the walls with caricatures he suggested Hess' transfer to the workshop of artist Maximilian Neustück where he collaborated with Neustück and his four sons. Besides he attended the drawing school until 1816. In 1819 he undertook a journey to Italy. In Rome, where his stay was supported by the Association for the Good and the Charitable (GGG) and the Freemasons from Basel, and the Danish sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen. On recommendation of Thorvaldsen, a 1825 and 1826 he stayed in Nürnberg and worked for a variety of merchants from Zurich. He returned to Basel in 1826 He became a teacher at the drawing school between 1831 and 1835, He died in June 1850. He painted and drew several well known scenes of the Swiss political and cultural life. His mother died in 1816, his father in 1826.

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