Friedrich Paul Thumann, who was born at Tschaksdorf, in the Lausitz, in 1834, was originally intended for a scientific career, and studied with that purpose at the engineering school at Glogau. At the age of nineteen, however, he entered the Berlin Academy as an art student. In 1856 he settled in Dresden, where, until 1860, he remained as a pupil of Julius Hubner. He had now become known as a painter, both of portraits and religious compositions, which found favor. In 1860 he removed to Leipzig, the great German publishing centre, where as a draughtsman and illustrator for books and periodicals he acquired both a wide reputation and a great deal of money. This enabled him in 1863 to resume his study of painting, which he did under Profe...