John Hafen (March 22, 1856 – June 3, 1910)[1] was a Mormon artist in the 19th century.
Hafen was born in Scherzingen, Switzerland. His parents joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and immigrated to Utah Territory. When they first came to Utah, the family lived in Payson. In 1868, Hafen began attending the 20th Ward Academy in Salt Lake City, where one of the main teachers was Karl G. Maeser. Hafen learned painting from George Ottinger and Dan Weggeland.
Hafen was one of the founders of the Utah Art Association in 1881.
In 1890, Hafen, Lorus Pratt and John B. Fairbanks were sent to Paris as art missionaries for the LDS Church. At this point he left his wife, Thora Twede Hafen, and their five children in Springville, Utah.[2] After they completed their studies, the Mormon artists returned to Utah and created murals in the Salt Lake Temple.
After returning from France, Hafen's main focus was on landscape painting. He donated paintings to Springville that were the initial basis of the Springville Art Museum. Hafen had five more children with his wife—the youngest being born in 1904.
Hafen was a professor at Brigham Young Academy, where he developed the art department. He was recruited to come there to do this specifically by Benjamin Cluff.[3] Hafen lived in Springville, in a home designed by Alberto O. Treganza.