Heinrich Hofmann was a German historical painter who was born in Darmstadt in 1824. After studying in Dusseldorf and at the Antwerp Academy, he resided in Italy from 1854-58. Hofmann finally settled in Dresden in 1862, where he became professor of art in the academy.

While he chose his subjects from the whole field of literature and mythology, Hofmann is most widely known for his idealized scenes from the life of Christ. Several of these have been extensively reproduced in engravings, especially his Christ in the Temple, painted in 1882. Heinrich Hofmann died in 1902.