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Adam Elsheimer (b. 1578 in Frankfurt-am-Main,
Germany – d. 1610 in Rome, Italy) was an
influential artist in the early 17th Century.  He
was noted for his small scale paintings that
included a variety of light effects.  He is
credited with being an influence on other artists
such as Rembrandt and Peter Paul Rubens. 

Elsheimer was one of 10 children and the son of a
tailor.  He was apprenticed to artist Philipp
Uffenbach.  In his early 20s he travelled to
Italy.  During a short stay in Venice,
Italy|Venice he is believed to have produced
several significant works (such as The Deluge and
The Holy Family) and been influenced by Venetian
painters Tintoretto and Paolo Veronese.

In early 1600 Elsheimer ended up in Rome,
Italy|Rome and apparently secured patronage with
Johannes Faber.  Here he became well known for his
painting of Tobias and the Angel (1602-1603),
commonly known as the "small" Tobias.  This
picture was engraved by Count Hendrick Goudt and
as a result was published across Europe.  However,
his association with Goudt is widely viewed as
ruinous to Elsheimer, and resulted in his eventual
incarceration in Debtor's prison, where he died.

In 1606 Elsheimer married Carla Antonia Sturada da
Francoforte, and in 1609 they had a son.

The small scale of his cabinet pictures resulted
in a small total output.  However, it was highly
regarded for it's quality and was used as a source
of inspiration by other artists, including Peter
Paul Rubens|Rubens, who owned at least four of his
works.  In spite of his fame and talents, he
appears to have both lived and died in poverty.

==See also==
*List of painters

==External links==
*http://www.wga.hu/frames-e.html?/html/e/elsheime/
Web Gallery of Art
*http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/elsheimer/
Web Museum
*http://www.artcyclopedia.com/artists/elsheimer_ad
am.html Artcyclopedia
*http://www.getty.edu/art/collections/bio/a3000-1.
html Getty Museum

==Sources==
* Encyclopedia of Artists, volume 2, edited by
William H.T. Vaughan, ISBN 0-19-521572-9, 2000