Joseph Fay

Joseph Fay (10 August 1813, Cologne - 27 July 1875, Düsseldorf) was a German painter.

He attended from 1833 to 1841 the Academy at Düsseldorf, and afterwards studied at Munich, and at Paris under Paul Delaroche. He first painted historical subjects, and had a happy talent in representing scenes from the life and manners of the old Germans. Not meeting with sufficient encouragement, he changed his style for genre painting, for which purpose he visited Italy. He depicted scenes in Italian life. He is associated with the Düsseldorf school of painting.

The following are among his best works:

• Der St. Gangolfs Brunnen. 1837.
• Genovefa. 1838.
• Samson and Delilah. 1839. Cologne Museum
• Cleopatra. 1841.
• A large frieze. Elberfeld court house. This was a series of frescoes which portrayed the history of Germany from the destruction of the Varian legionsh. It has perished, but some cartoons of it still exist.
• Thisbe listening.
• Romeo and Juliet. 1846.
• Gretchen in Prison. 1847.