Hermann Bahner was born in 1867 in Kaiserswerth (today part of Düsseldorf). He studied from 1890 to 1892 as a private student with Olof Jernberg. Between 1888 and 1896 he frequently traveled to the Netherlands, particularly to Katwijk, but also to Dordrecht. In 1901 he moved to Hesse. He lived and worked there, e.g. in Willingshausen, Bensheim, Oberursel, Schotten and Langen. He preferred to paint landscapes with groups of people and animals. Since moving to Hesse, he has specialized in forest and townscapes. In this way he gained international fame. There are squares and streets named after Hermann Bahner in several German cities, e.g. in Langen (Hermann-Bahner-Strasse), where he died in 1938.