Oppenheim, Moritz David (1800–1882)

German artist, the first important Jewish artist of modern times. He established his career by painting posthumous portraits of famous figures from German history and literature, but became best known for his tender scenes of everyday Jewish life.

He was born in Nasau near Frankfrurt-am-Main, and studied in Munich, Paris, and Rome before settling in Frankfurt. His autobiography, Erinnerungen, was published in 1924, the first autobiography by a Jewish artist.

Many of his works were destroyed by the Nazis in the 1930s.