A charming genre painting of a gentleman asleep at a table by Hermann Armin Kern. The man is shown having just dozed off after his supper, his drink still in his hand.

Hermann Armin Kern or Hermann Armin von Kern was a genre and portrait painter born in Liptovar, Hungary in 1839. He showed an early talent for art and in 1854 left home to go to Prague, where he studied under the portrait painter Jozef Božetech Klemens (1817-1883). He later travelled to Vienna where he enrolled at the Academy of Fine Arts and was taught by Carl Rahl (1812-1865). Kern was keen to develop his artistic talent further and in 1867 left Vienna to study in Düsseldorf, Germany after winning a scholarship. By 1870, he had moved to Munich where he attended Academy of Fine Arts, studying under the realist painter Karl von Piloty (1826-1886). Whilst there, he met fellow artist Franz von Defregger (1835-1921) who became his friend.

After finishing his training, Kern moved to Paris for a time before returning to Vienna around 1877 where he married Pauline Hampel. They lived at 5 Favoritenstrasse and went on to raise 10 children together. One of his daughters, Pauline von Kern (1878–1939) also became an artist. He made his debut exhibition in Vienna in 1880 and also began exhibiting in Munich. His work attracted the attention of Emperor Franz Joseph I who appointed him court painter. In 1885, he was commissioned to paint the ceiling decoration of the Szeged Theatre. He remained in Vienna until his death in 1912 at Maria Enzesdorf.

Kern became well known for his charming scenes of characters in taverns, interiors and street scenes. Many of his subjects featured elderly men involved in domestic chores or enjoying simple pleasures, such as this fine example. A number of his paintings can be found in UK public collections including the Mercer Art Gallery and Touchstones Rochdale as well as internationally at the Grohmann Museum in Milwaukee and the Musée d’Orsay, France.

© Benton Fine Art