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Albert Anker
1831-1910
Albert Samuel Anker was Swiss painter and illustrator. He was noted for his portraits of children. In 1864 he married Anna Rueefli and together they had four children: Louise, Marie, Maurice and Cécile. The children appear in some of his paintings.
An early interest in art was kindled by visiting the exhibitions of the Société des Amis des Arts in Neuchâtel in 1842. After taking early private drawing lessons with Louis Wallinger between 1845 and 1848, he began studying theology in Berne and later continuing studies at the university in Halle, Germany.
During his stay in Germany he became acquainted with major German collections, notably the Gemäldegalerie in Dresden, which impressed him deeply. In 1854 he convinced his father to consent to an artistic career, upon which Albert moved to Paris where he was in the studio of Charles Gleyre.
He studied at the Ecole Impériale des Beaux-Arts in Paris from 1855 until c. 1860, meanwhile selling portraits. In 1861 he traveled in northern Italy, copying Old Masters such as Titian and Correggio.
Many Swiss postage stamps have incorporated Anker's work, particularly those semi-postal stamps whose surcharge goes to youth charities.
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