Early Life and Artistic Training Born on 5 October 1834 in Groß Schacksdorf-Simmersdorf, Paul Thumann was raised in the household of a teacher. His early inclinations did not immediately point toward the canvas. He initially sought a path in the technical sciences, enrolling at the engineering school in Glogau to pursue a career in that field. This practical direction, however, proved to be a temporary detour in a life that would eventually be defined by the visual arts. The pull toward art eventually superseded his scientific interests. Between 1854 and 1856, Thumann sought formal instructi…