Born on July 20, 1829 in Aix-la-Chapelle, Joseph Jansen spent most of his early years as a student at the Academy of Dusseldorf.  Jansen is known for his extensive landscapes depicting views of the Alps and of the scenery and towns along the Rhine and the Moselle.

His important canvases are often of a grand scale and combine many elements that are typically focal points for other, less important, works by the artist.  It was his ability to combine all the elements so convinc­ingly, that made him one of the better landscape artists of the period.

Jansen continued to capture the beautiful landscapes of his homeland on canvas throughout his lifetime.