Felix Ziem

Félix Ziem was born in Beaune in the Côte-d'Or département of the Burgundy region of France. Originally, Ziem planned to be an architect and studied at the School of Architecture in Dijon, and working as an architect for a brief period. In 1839 he moved to Marseilles, where he received some informal instruction in painting from Adolphe Monticelli. Painting developed from a hobby into a career following a visit in 1841 to Italy, where he fell in love with the city of Venice, a place that would become the source for many of his works, and to which he returned annually until 1892. Apart from Venetian scenes, he also painted many still lifes, portraits, and landscapes from a variety of places including Constantinople, Martigues, Cagnes-sur-Mer and his native Burgundy.