Johann Christian Klengel

Johann Christian Klengel was an artist active across the latter half of the eighteenth century, with his documented career spanning the period of 1730 through 1800. Klengel’s output centered primarily on graphic arts and drawing.

The artist’s work is held in major institutional collections, establishing Klengel’s historical significance. Twelve works are represented in museum collections, comprising ten prints and two drawings. These works focus heavily on landscape and genre scenes that capture rural activity and natural settings. Noteworthy examples include the print Landscape with a Large Tree, the detailed genre scene Bedelaar met twee kinderen krijgt een aalmoes (Beggar with two children receiving alms), and the atmospheric Landschap met boeren aan het werk in de schemering (Landscape with farmers working at twilight). Further documentation of his subjects includes Landschap met ruiter met een paard aan de teugel and Landschap met vissers bij een stroomversnelling.

Examples of Johann Christian Klengel prints and drawings are preserved in prestigious institutions globally, including the Rijksmuseum, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. As works of this period, many of Klengel’s graphic pieces are considered public domain material, allowing the production of high-quality prints for scholarly and public access.