Cornelius David Krieghoff

Krieghoff (b. Amsterdam, Holland, 1815 – d/ Chicago, Ill 1872) is known for his paintings of Canada, its people and traditions prior to Confederation. His popular images depict the activities and traditions of Indigenous peoples and French-Canadian settlers in the mid-19^th century.

Born in Amsterdam in 1815, Cornelius Krieghoff learned painting and music from his father initially and then entered the Academy of Fine Arts in Germany about 1830. Krieghoff emigrated to New York and joined the United States Army in 1837, then moved to Montreal in 1840, where he started to work as an artist.

Kreighoff lived in both Montreal and Quebec where he created and sold his paintings and prints to a growing middle class. Krieghoff moved back to Europe in 1863 returning briefly to Quebec in 1871. He moved to Chicago where he died in 1872.