Adam Elsheimer was born in Germany, Frankfurt am Main, one of ten children, in a family of master-tailor. Artist Philipp Uffenbach apprenticed him. He probably visited Strasbourg in 1596. Twenty years old he traveled to Italy via Munich, where he was documented in 1598.
His stay in Venice has not been documented, but the impact on Venetian style is visible. Elsheimerprobably worked as an assistant to Johann Rottenhammer. Rottenhammer was a German who lived in Italy for several years and was the first German artist to specialize in cabinet paintings. Although the earliest small paintings by Elsheimer on copper seem to date from before his arrival in Italy, the influence of Rottenhammer is noticeable in his mature work.
It is believed that Elsheimer produced some significant works in Venice, such as the Baptism of Christ and the Holy Family, which show the influence of the Venetian artists Tintoretto and Paolo Veronese, as well as of Rottenhammer.
His perfectionism and apparent propensity for depression were the reason for a small total volume of his work. In total, all his paintings have so far been forty. He also painted several etchings, but not very successful.