SwissArtGallery · Documented identity

Heinrich Ewers

August Heinrich Ewers, also known as Heinz Ewers, was a German painter born in Wismar in 1817 and died in Düsseldorf in 1885. His career began in Berlin, where he took up studies in sculpture at the Prussian Academy of Arts in 1836; alongside this, he worked as a furniture designer and created patterns for fabrics and wallpaper. Based in Düsseldorf’s artistic milieu, he became a member of the Künstlerverein Malkasten in 1861. He also served for many years, until his death, as court painter to the Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. In this capacity, he frequently stayed at the grand-ducal hunting residence at Raben Steinfeld until 1884.

Ewers favoured genre scenes, particularly those featuring children, and painted episodes of domestic and family life in the countryside. One source characterises these compositions by their detailed academic realism, harmonious colour and subtle light. The titles cited evoke both childhood — Der Mutter Unterricht, Die ersten Wasserstiefel, Die glückliche Familie, Er ist musikalisch and Vor dem Pfarrhause — and festive days, with Gang zur Taufe, Hochzeitszug im Schwarzwald, Sonntagsmorgen and Weihnachtsmorgen. In Der Taufgang, according to the description of the painting, a young couple is making its way to a baptism. The earliest work by him mentioned in the literature is Mönche mit einem Esel, der unter seiner Last zusammengebrochen ist, bearing the inscription «Anvers [Antwerpen] 1850» and lithographed by Ludwig Burger.

His activity was not limited to genre scenes: he carried out numerous commissions for the grand-ducal family of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, including portraits and scenes in costume, and also painted history paintings. The portraits include self-portraits and depictions of members of his own family. Among the works cited is the portrait Der Glasmaler Ernst Gillmeister zu Schwerin, dated 1879.

This profile brings together identity references for Heinrich Ewers and paintings, drawings and works on paper documented in auction catalogues.

1 references are documented at Dobiaschofsky. Each record links to its source; the amounts are not a general valuation of the artist’s work.

Sources and references

• Reference record
• RKDartists · ODC-BY-1.0
• Documentary source
• Documentary source

SwissArtGallery documentary note based on the cited sources. Titles, media and qualifications are provided in the profile language; the original catalogue wording remains available in each record.
Documentation updated : 2026-10-19