Friedrich Nerly I, born Friedrich Nerlich in 1807 in Erfurt, Germany, was a German artist who moved to Hamburg and later to Italy. Under the mentorship of Carl Friedrich Freiherr von Rumohr, he traveled to Italy in 1828, where he changed his name to Nerly and remained for the rest of his life. Nerly became a prominent figure in the German artistic community, living in Rome for six years before moving to Venice. Known for his realistic yet romantic style, influenced by his interactions with artists like Joseph Mallord William Turner, Nerly's best works include his Venetian canvases.

Friedrich Nerlich was born in Erfurt, in central Germany, and after some self-training in art, was encouraged by the art collector and scholar Baron Carl Friedrich von Rumohr (1785-1843) to pursue his talent. The two traveled to Italy in 1828, arriving in Rome. Nerlich lived in the Eternal City for six years, and Italianized his name to Nerly.

While in Rome, he became a leader among the expatriate German community of artists. He moved to Venice in 1835 and remained there for the remainder of his life. He set up a studio on the Palazzo Pisani and began to paint more romantic and atmospheric vedute of his adopted city.