Ferdinand Bellermann

Ferdinand Konrad Bellermann (14 March 1814, in Erfurt – 11 August 1889, in Berlin) was a German painter and naturalist, who specialized in scenes of Venezuela.

Apparently, however, he developed vision problems,[2] so he returned to Erfurt and stayed there until 1833, when he went to study in Berlin with Wilhelm Schirmer and Carl Blechen.

It was a hazardous trip, over back roads with primitive accommodations but, on their return, he painted a large canvas that drew attention to his ability for accurately representing nature, including geological formations.

That led to Bellermann being recommended by Alexander von Humboldt to accompany an expedition to South America,[2] initiated by a merchant from Hamburg, to make scientifically accurate representations of the plants and landscapes.

He toured most of the country, visiting sites suggested by Humboldt, amassing a huge collection of pastel, pen and pencil sketches as well as some oil paintings, depicting urban life and customs in addition to the landscapes.