John Hafen was born in Scherzingen, Switzerland in 1856 and came to Salt Lake City with his parents as converts to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  He was the first Utah artist to recognize that he and other Utah artists should train in European salons. He died in Brown County, Indiana, in 1910.

In 1862, Hafen became one of the earliest and youngest students at the Twentieth Ward Academy in Salt Lake City, a school that included drawing instruction in its lessons.  George Ottinger and Dan Weggeland, two early Utah artists, were his instructors.  Lorus Pratt was his classmate. In 1890, Hafen, Pratt, and J. B. Fairbanks studied at the Académie Julian in Paris as “art missionaries” for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
 
Because of his experience in Paris, Hafen’s focus became landscape painting in the impressionist style. His painting, Quaking Aspens, Aspen Groves, exemplifies tonalism and A Mountain Stream exemplifies his interpretation of impressionism. Hafen felt that the painter should look for the smell, the feeling, the soul, and for the beautiful in line and color rather the mechanical effect or minute finish of a scene.  He taught this view to his students at the Brigham Young Academy and at the University of Utah.

Hafen donated various paintings and drawings to The Church.  They compose the Hafen Collection at the Museum of Church History and Art in Salt Lake.  In 1903 Hafen initiated the Springville Art Project by donating one of his works to the town’s school.  The Project has developed into a major collection. 

Biographical information on this page was adapted from the Springville Museum of Art.