Heinrich Pfenninger

Heinrich Pfenninger was a graphic artist documented as active in 1759. Based on records from institutional holdings, the artist specialized in portraiture executed as prints, providing historical documentation of contemporary European intellectual figures.

Pfenninger’s representation in collections includes nine documented prints, primarily biographical portraits of notable personalities from the sciences and literature. These high-quality prints detail subjects such as Portret van Gotthold Ephraim Lessins, Portret van Ernst Carl Wieland, Portret van Gottlieb Wilhelm Rabener, and the scientist Portret van Johann Bernoulli (I). The consistency in subject matter suggests Pfenninger operated within the established tradition of printmakers documenting cultural and academic elites of the period.

The legacy of Pfenninger’s work is established by institutional preservation; the Rijksmuseum maintains several examples of his graphic output. Today, these museum-quality historical documents are often available as downloadable artwork, as many Heinrich Pfenninger prints have entered the public domain.