Johann Winckelmann

Happy Birthday Johann Winckelmann!! This artist, born in 1717 was a German art theorist who originally intended to become a physician. He was born into poverty, his father a cobbler and his mother the daughter of a weaver. After attending medical courses, he decided on a radical change and turned to archeology. Winckelmann was the first to make the distinction between Greek, Greco-Roman and Roman art and in fact a founder of scientific archeology. His contributions to art history as we know it today are unmeasurable. He wrote several books detailing Greek history and distinguishing features of Greek art when compared to Roman copies. I am including a portrait of Winckelmann painted by a close friend, Raphael Mengs.