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Albert Anker

Albert Samuel Anker (April 1, 1831 - July 16, 1910) was a Swiss painter and illustrator noted for his portraits of children.

After taking early drawing lessons with Louis Wallinger between 1845 and 1848, he studied theology beginning in 1851 in Berne and continuing at the university of Halle, Germany. But in Germany he was inspired by the great art collections, and in 1854 he convinced his father to consent to an artistic career, upon which Albert moved to Paris where he was in the studio of Charles Gleyre.

He married Anna Rüfli in 1864 and they had four children together: Louise, Marie, Maurice and Cécile. The children appear in some of his paintings.

Many Swiss postage stamps have incorporated Anker's work, particularly those semi-postal stamps whose surcharge goes to youth charities.

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