Frédéric Horthemels

Frédéric Horthemels was an artist known primarily for his religious prints, active in the mid-1720s. His documented artistic output spans a short period, with works dated between 1724 and 1729.

Horthemels’s oeuvre, as represented in major institutions like the Metropolitan Museum of Art, consists exclusively of Christian subjects. Six high-quality prints are preserved in collections, demonstrating a consistent focus on key scriptural moments and devotional imagery. Notable examples include the Old Testament tragedy depicted in Adam kneels in grief beside the body of Abel, while Cain flees in the background and the New Testament narrative Christ, seated at right, and the woman of Samaria, who stands at left.

The artist also produced images central to Catholic veneration, such as The Virgin Mary adoring the Christ child, an angel holding a crown of thorns at right. Furthermore, prints like The Pentecost, with the Apostles and the Virgin sitting in a circle, the Holy Spirit appearing above them, and a donor kneeling at left suggest the works served specific liturgical or patronage functions.

These detailed Frédéric Horthemels prints provide valuable insight into 18th-century devotional art. Given their age, these historical works are widely available in the public domain, often reproduced as downloadable artwork or museum-quality prints.