Johann Jakob Frey, a Swiss landscape painter, a native of Basle, studied principally in Italy, and his views of that country are much valued.
He was first taught by his father, the painter and lithographer Samuel Frey (1785-1836). He later studied in Paris (1830) and in Munich (1834), the most vibrant artistic centre in Germany.
After travelling in Italy and Egypt, he settled in Rome where he specialised in landscape painting.
From Egypt, whither he accompanied Professor Lepsius, he brought many excellent sketches of the Pyramids, Labyrinths, ecc.