Born in Germany, Jean Mannheim was drafted into the German army but deserted and fled to France to pursue his love of painting. He relied on his skills as a bookbinder to support himself. After immigrating to Chicago in the 1880s, he returned to Europe to teach in London. He then returned again to the U.S. to teach in Denver before finally settling in Pasadena.  In 1913, he founded the Stickney Memorial School of Fine Arts in Pasadena. He is known for his bright, impressionistic landscapes, often depicting stately Eucalyptus trees.