There is only very little known about the biography of this Jacob Klein; in the picture he can be seen in an anonymous signed etching from about 1900. Several of the few basic information about his life:
In January 1887 he joins the administration of the Städelsche Kunstinstitut, is particularly dedicated to the Städel-Schule and its artists, 1890 the novel is published by the author, 1891 already discharge from the Städel-Administration, 1904 to at least 1907 he is member of the Physikalischer Verein, 1910 the auction of his drawings and 1911 of his collection of paintings takes place. According to documents of the Senkenbergische Gesellschaft he died in 1912. There is still much to investigate and hold talks with the institutions of the city to bring Jacob Klein and his dedicated book to new life.
Because in his »social novel«, how he briefly denotes it in the subtitle, he tells of the virulent decades, in which civic commitment in Frankfurt is just emerging by establishing big foundations for the benefit of the citizens and the city community and by developing central social establishments. And without which we would not have found our present self-conception as free citizens in a democratic society.