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The 2 Most Famous Hermann Daur Paintings, a Gallery Selection
Updated November 2026 · ranked by our popularity score (searches, visits and orders for each work) · 2 works by Hermann Daur in our catalogue
In short
Of all the originals Hermann Daur left, the most famous is Portrait of Esther Kern (1912), in the collection of the Augustiner Museum, Freiburg. Our catalog holds 2 works by Hermann Daur; the gallery has kept the 2 the world admires most, each shown with its date, its museum and its story.
1870 – 1925, Stetten
Most works: Augustiner Museum
Hermann Daur's top 10 paintings: the gallery's choice
The museums that keep Hermann Daur's originals
The museum that holds the most of the paintings on this page.
| Museum | City | Works by Hermann Daur | Paintings from this list |
|---|---|---|---|
 Augustiner Museum |
Freiburg | 2 | Portrait of Esther Kern, Portrait of Bianca Kern-Hunziker |
Hermann Daur year by year: the originals that define each
1912 is the year of every dated Hermann Daur work in this selection: here they are, ranked by fame.
Works per year
Pick a year to see its originals.
Collectors' questions about Hermann Daur's paintings
Which work is Hermann Daur most famous for?Reveal the answer
Portrait of Esther Kern (1912).
What age was Hermann Daur when Portrait of Esther Kern was made?Reveal the answer
42 years old: Portrait of Esther Kern dates from 1912, and Hermann Daur was born in 1870.
How many paintings did Hermann Daur leave?Reveal the answer
Our catalog holds 2 works by Hermann Daur.
In which museums do Hermann Daur's masterpieces hang?Reveal the answer
Mostly in Augustiner Museum (Freiburg). The museum table above lists them all.
In which years did Hermann Daur paint the most famous works?Reveal the answer
In 1912: 2 of the 2 works on this page were made then, Portrait of Esther Kern among them.
Which Hermann Daur works hang at the Augustiner Museum?Reveal the answer
Portrait of Esther Kern and Portrait of Bianca Kern-Hunziker: the Augustiner Museum, Freiburg holds 2 of the works on this page.
Hermann Daur: life and work
The Quiet Presence of Albert Hermann Daur
The year 1870 marks the beginning of a life that would eventually find its end in Ötlingen in 1925. Born in Stetten, Albert Hermann Daur operated within a specific German tradition, capturing the essence of his subjects and the stillness of the landscape. His brushwork does not shout; it observes. In the quietude of his compositions, one finds a focus on the tangible reality of the era, from the intimate details of a human face to the structural simplicity of a mill nestled in a valley.
His work often centers on the interplay between light and form. In his 1912 oil on canvas, Vorfrühling, Mühle im Kandertal, the scene captures a moment of seasonal transition. The mill sits within the landscape, a fixed point in a changing environment. There is a deliberate weight to his application of oil, a method that prioritizes the physical presence of the subject over mere decoration.
A Study in Form and Subject
Daur’s output reveals a commitment to specific, grounded subjects. He moved between the psychological depth of portraiture and the structural clarity of landscape painting. His technical approach is defined by several key elements:
- The use of oil on canvas to achieve depth in portraiture.
- A focus on the specificities of German topography, such as the Kandertal region.
- A signature style that often included a direct, legible mark on the work itself.
The 1912 Portrait of Bianca Kern-Hunziker serves as a primary example of his ability to hold a gaze. This work, held in the Augustinermuseum in Freiburg, demonstrates his capacity to translate a person into a permanent visual record. He does not rely on artifice, but on the directness of the likeness.
The Final Years and Legacy
By the time of his death in 1925, Daur had established a body of work that remains tied to the specificities of his time and place. His paintings are not abstractions; they are records of a world in transition. The physical remnants of his practice, such as the inscriptions found on the reverse of frames, provide a direct link to his hand. He remains a figure of the German landscape and portrait tradition, a painter who sought to pin down the fleeting light of a spring morning or the steady gaze of a sitter.