The painter and graphic artist Karl Tomforde counts among those artist for whom art is a part time activity.
Born in Trier in 1881, Karl Tomforde was active in Frankfurt am Main, where he died in 1969. He pursued the profession of a judge and was a self-taught painter and graphic artist - just like many of his contemporaries, as the number of so-called dilettantes had increased since the 19th century. The terms 'Dilettantism' did not imply any negative connotation in those days, it simply referred to the fact that these artists were not full-time, professional artists. Besides oil paintings, Karl Tomforde was also committed to etchings, lithographs and drawings; views of the city of Frankfurt, portraits, still lifes and landscapes by his hand are known of. In terms of style the influence of plein-air painting can be observed, particularly in his atmospheric landscapes.
The renowned encyclopedia 'Allgemeine Lexikon der Bildenden Künstler von der Antike bis zur Gegenwart', the so-called Thieme/Becker, honors Karl Tomforde with an entry.