Early Life and Artistic Beginnings Born Mathias Wolf on January 22, 1820, in the small village of Mörz near Münstermaifeld, nestled within the picturesque Rhenish Prussia – now part of modern Germany – Joseph Wolf’s life was deeply intertwined with the natural world from its very inception. His father, Anton Wolf, a farmer, and his mother, Elisabeth Probstfeld, instilled in him a profound appreciation for the landscapes and creatures surrounding their rural existence. Even as a young boy, Mathias—who would later adopt the name Joseph—displayed an extraordinary fascination with birds and anim…