Painter and printmaker Fritz Beckert was born in Leipzig, Germany, in 1877. He attended the Academy of Visual Arts, Leipzig from 1894 to 1896, followed by the Dresden Academy. There he studied under Friedrich Preller the Younger and Gotthard Kuehl from 1900 to 1902, graduating with top marks which earned him a gold medal.  

Beginning in 1901 Beckert traveled regularly to the Swiss Alps, Bavaria, Austria, and Italy on study tours. He helped found the Elbier group of artists, which was a part of the Dresden Secession, opening its first show in 1909. In 1908 he began his teaching career as a lecturer at the Dresden Academy, eventually becming a professor of architectural painting from 1925 to 1945. He became known especially for his images of Baroque and Rococo Bavarian cities and villages, and for his style of lithography which often echoed the foundational style of early 20th century European color woodcuts: bold outlines, strong colors, and even a woodgrain-like quality to his textures. 

Beckert died in Dresden in 1962.