Hans Luthmann was born in Germany in 1888. He first traveled to Hong Kong and Shanghai in 1910 as a merchant for a German dyestuff factory. In 1914, he was taken as a prisoner of war after the siege of Tsingtau and sent to Japan. Luthmann stayed in various prisoner-of-war camps throughout Japan until 1920. It was during his time in those camps that Lutthmann was introduced to art. Upon his release, he invited recently released artists from various prison camps to stay at his home in Japan. From their visits, Luthmann furthered his art training. In 1921, he discovered the book "Modern Graphic Arts" by Prof. H.W. Singer in a Tokyo bookshop. This reference and the books by Joseph Pennell became his sole instructors in etching. It is astonishing to consider that Luthmann is mainly self-taught, learning the art of etching from books, as the work clearly demonstrates a mastery of the medium. The artist went on to produce dozens of Japanese-themed designs. His work is particularly admired for spellbinding, intricate landscapes that usher the viewer into a world of nature and magic.
