Johann Adam Breysig

He was born in Leutesdorf. His father was a wine grower. He was initially trained by the theatre painter, Peter Beckenkamp (fl.1780–1800), in Koblenz, then travelled with a theatrical troupe, designing their stage sets. In 1791, he settled down as a master builder and theater painter in Bernburg then, in 1796, became the Building Commissioner for the princes of Anhalt-Bernburg in Ballenstedt. Three years later, King Frederick William III of Prussia appointed him as one of the first Professors at the recently established Kunstgewerbe- und Handwerkerschule Magdeburg. After 1804, he helped establish the Provincial Art Academy in Danzig; serving as its Director from 1809 until his death in 1831 in Danzig. His notable students included his nephew, Johann Baptista Breysig (1786–1856), August Lobegott Randt (1794–1859), Michael Carl Gregorovius and Johann Karl Schultz. In addition to teaching, he arranged exhibitions and organized the art collection belonging to the wealthy merchant, Jacob Kabrun. He also did some restorative and conservational work.

Although the Irishman, Robert Barker, is generally considered to be the inventor of the modern panoramic painting, Breysig claimed, in a 1799 pamphlet, that he had come up with the idea one year before Barker took out his patent in 1787. He may have made the claim simply for publicity, as he was looking for someone to finance a panorama he had been planning; a search that was eventually successful. His subject was Rome, based on sketches he had made during a visit there in 1792. He was assisted by Karl Ludwig Kaaz and Franz Karl Tielker (1765–1845). Later, Johann Carl Enslen and his son, Karl Georg Enslen, who had studied with Breysig, introduced panoramas on a large scale at annual fairs in Germany, and helped to popularize them throughout Europe.