Early Life and Apprenticeship in Dresden and Italy Anton Kern, born on December 12th, 1709, in the Bohemian town of Děčín, emerged from a modest background—his father served as the local town clerk. His early artistic inclinations were quickly recognized, leading to his introduction to Laurentio di Rossi, a Venetian artist holding a court painter position in Saxony. While attending Jesuit school in Bohosudov, Kern’s talent impressed Rossi enough to invite him into his Dresden studio for lessons, marking the beginning of a formal artistic education. This initial exposure proved pivotal, setti…