# Johann Gottfried Steffan artist context and auction value notes

Canonical page: https://appraisily.com/artist/johann-gottfried-steffan/
Profile generated: 2026-05-27T14:50:21.125Z
Quality: high confidence, strong sources

## Artist identity

- Birth date: 1815-12-13
- Death date: 1905-06-16
- Nationality: Swiss
- Movements: 19th-century Swiss landscape painting
- Common media: oil painting

## About Johann Gottfried Steffan

Johann Gottfried Steffan (1815–1905) was a Swiss landscape painter born in Wädenswil on the shore of Lake Zurich. He is widely regarded as one of the most significant Swiss landscapists of the 19th century. Steffan spent much of his career in Munich, where he became part of the broader Central European landscape tradition. His work is documented in over 135 records at the Netherlands Institute for Art History (RKD), and his authority file is held by Getty ULAN, VIAF, and the Swiss National Library. Collectors most frequently encounter Steffan's oils depicting alpine and lake scenery, compositions that reflect the Romantic-era fascination with the Swiss natural environment.

## Common works and media

Steffan's output consists primarily of oil-on-canvas landscapes, often depicting alpine vistas, lake scenes, and pastoral Swiss and Bavarian countryside. Works range from small cabinet-sized paintings to larger exhibition-scale canvases. Drawings and studies may also appear on the market. His compositions typically emphasize atmospheric effects and the grandeur of mountain terrain, consistent with the Romantic landscape tradition.

## Market and appraisal context

Steffan's paintings appear regularly at auction, particularly in Swiss and German sales devoted to 19th-century European art. Factors that influence appraisal include the specific landscape subject, the scale and condition of the canvas, provenance tracing to known collections or dealers, and whether the work has been documented in RKD or museum records. Because no modern catalogue raisonné was identified in available sources, attribution verification against institutional records is recommended. Collectors should also note that Steffan's Munich-period works may carry different market profiles than his Swiss-subject compositions.

## Appraisily data basis

This Appraisily artist page combines identity research from RKD, Getty ULAN, VIAF, and Wikidata with auction records and comparable sale data. When available, realized prices, sale dates, auction-house context, and provenance details supplement the artist profile to support informed appraisal decisions.

## Sources

- RKD — Netherlands Institute for Art History: https://rkd.nl/en/explore/artists/74891
- Wikidata: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q682744
- VIAF (OCLC): https://viaf.org/viaf/13079482/
- Getty Vocabulary Program: https://vocab.getty.edu/page/ulan/500088084
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johann_Gottfried_Steffan