Johann Georg Ziesenis

Johann Georg Ziesenis (1716 – 4 March 1776) was a German–Danish portrait painter.

Early life and education Ziesenis' father Johan Jürgen Ziesenis was a painter from Hanover, who was granted Danish citizenship in Copenhagen in 1709 and whose works included Baptism of Christ (173) for Copenhagen's Garrison Church. After drawing lessons from his father, Johann lived in Düsseldorf, where he received further training and painted several portraits of the royal family.

Career In 1764, Ziesenis became court painter in Hanover and in 1766, he was granted 400 kroner by the Danish king "for travel and other expenses". In 1768, he was in The Netherlands, where he produced portraits of William V, his wife and family. He also worked for the courts in Brunswick and Berlin and his daughters Maria and Margaretha were also painters.

Ziesenis created around 260 portraits and other paintings and sketches in the course of his life, including ones of Crown Prince Frederik in 1767, now on display at Fredensborg Palace, Frederick II and Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, future wife of King George III of Great Britain.

In 1764, while in his sixties, he painted a portrait of Hans Egede.

Selected portraits