Based on the one google hit for Publikumsmaler I would say this.

Im Negativen bildet diese ganze Masse von Halbkunst eine Einheit. Damit ist nicht gesagt, dass es allen Malern durchaus an Begabung gefehlt hätte. Viele von ihnen haben gut und hoffnungsvoll begonnen, viele hätten sehr wohl Genossen der großen Talente werden können. Was rationalistisch und phantasielos im modernen Bürgertum war, hat sie aber verführt und unterworfen. Wer nicht willens war und die Kraft hatte, das Bürgerliche gegen das Bourgeoismäßige zu verteidigen, der wurde vom breiten Strom mitgerissen. Es hat in den letzten Jahrzehnten viele ‚Rettungsaktionen gegeben, die darauf hinausliefen, nachzuweisen, dass in vielen dieser Publikumsmaler, dieser Halbkünstler, ein guter Kern gesteckt hat und dass ihnen zuweilen schöne kleine Werke gelungen sind. Das kann den Geschichtsschreiber aber nicht bestimmen, von dem Grundsatz abzugehen, nur dort und nur so weit vom Individuum zu sprechen, wie es formgestaltend gewirkt hat. Die Vertreter der Kunst für Alle haben durchweg zu Lebzeiten schon die Früchte ihrer Tätigkeit genossen; die Nachwelt braucht sich mit ihrem Gedächtnis nicht zu beschweren, sie darf die Toten ihre Toten begraben lassen."
http://66.102.9.104/search?q=cache:1l5ujcLFxR4J:www.otto-pil...

another possible interpretation

might fit the register here

Suggestion more as fuel for further ideas than as a definitive solution. Looking for the "stock phrase" flavour that's in the German, coupled with the inferences from Henry, Gert, Lori . "Occasional" in sense of "for occasions", cf. 'bespoke' (might that do? - in ironic analogy to b.-tailor, Maßschneider... ) rather than "only occasionally". (Cf. Gelegenheits... ). The refs to "Publikumsmaler" in
Digit. Wörterb. d. Dt. Sprache des 20. Jhdts: http://www.dwds.de/ (need to register; free) and then go for the "Corpora" option for 3 quotes (all from a 1941 art-historical piece, I'm afraid), seem to cover both derogatory "popular" AND "public" as in public/civic commissions - Historienbilder likely to have been more public than private. Would also fit the period. (tho' "Publikums-" seems odd if "öffentlich" meant).

commissioned by the middle class painting (for) the middle class.
After the introduction of the photograph, this shifted to the upper classes. Because of that definiton (and your context), the following might also work:

(travelling) artist who paints on commission
travelling portrait painter

a (modern-day) travelling artist who paints on commission:
Antje Schiffer
see:
http://english-express.net/2001/new-office.htm

http://www.portraitcommission.com/en/index.html
you want to commission a portrait


or: with a more artistic touch:
portrait- und genre painter

see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Luks

modern-day portrait painter and artist:
Alex J. Lang
see:
http://eyemotionmedia.at/uebermich.htm

http://www.louisbriel.com/pages/pro/pro_cont3.html
Portrait painters, working on commission



Genremaler des 19. Jahrhunderts (kommerziell gängigere Genremalerei)

http://www.zeitenblicke.de/2006/2/Pavlinec/

Der wichtigste Auftraggeber war das Bürgertum, wobei die Maler sich seinen noch sehr bescheidenen Wünschen anpassen mussten. Gefragt waren typische Porträts, die den vorherrschenden Schemata des Biedermeiers entsprachen, oder – allerdings seltener – schlichtere Landschaftsbilder, die in Wirklichkeit mehr topographische, auf naturgetreue Wiedergabe ausgerichtete Studien als vollblütige romantische Naturszenen waren. Öffentliche Aufträge gab es fast keine, weil außer der Kirche keine Institutionen im Land existierten, die dafür Sorge getragen hätten.


http://www.delart.org/damdocent/19thtz.html#walraven

Many portrait painters of the 19th century were itinerant artists, traveling from town to town painting the portraits of the middle class. They were craftsmen as well as artists, stretching their own canvases and making their own paints and frames.

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Note added at 2 hrs (2007-05-05 18:50:22 GMT)
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typo corr.: portrait- *and* genre painter

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Note added at 2 hrs (2007-05-05 19:00:30 GMT)
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another option:

portrait artist
Ian Stietencron
http://www.stietencron-portraits-gallery.co.uk/

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Note added at 2 hrs (2007-05-05 19:01:24 GMT)
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..working on commission

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Note added at 10 hrs (2007-05-06 03:13:08 GMT)
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The term can be taken as describing somebody who paints accomodating the wishes of the audience (das Publikum), in this context the middle classes mostly, thus crafting portrait paintings, one major source for that at that time - other "commissions" were scarce (revealed by Henry's link for example).
So, they could be called "commercial artists/painters" in a more general sense, being concerned about making a living instead of producing art for art's sake -

Publikumsmalerei WAR "gefällige" Malerei in:
http://edoc.ub.uni-muenchen.de/archive/00005675/01/Doms_Anne...
Interessant erscheint jedoch die Wahrnehmung der Ausstellungen durch das
Publikum. Denn wie Hans Eckstein berichtet, blieb der Besuch der ersten „Gro en
M nchner Kunstausstellung im Vergleich zu den „Massenaufm rschen der
nationalsozialistischen Jahresschauen wohl eher begrenzt.406 Die Bilder in den
Ausstellungen der drei Gro en K nstlervereinigungen abgesehen von den
abstrakten Arbeiten aus der Neuen Gruppe wurden nach Aussagen der zeitgenössischen Presse bald als gefällig und wie bereits angedeutet als „Publikumsmalerei eingestuft, das Interesse der
Öffentlichkeit an diesen Werken schien gering.

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Note added at 12 hrs (2007-05-06 04:39:35 GMT)
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"painter/artist for the public "

would certainly be the most literal translation and should also fit =
an artist who "succumbs" to the wishes of the public, or, is forced to paint something that is looked upon as "low (brow) art (see my links).



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Note added at 12 hrs (2007-05-06 05:18:03 GMT)
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for the context here, I still think my original suggestion has merit.

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Note added at 1 day2 hrs (2007-05-06 19:03:53 GMT)
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= the prof. suggests to end the "spec "work and get paid - by compromising one's art and subjugate oneself to commission work such as offered by the public/middle class (portaits, landscapes, etc.)

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Note added at 1 day12 hrs (2007-05-07 04:40:46 GMT)
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In light of the additional information Ann provided,

I am pretty sure that "Publikumsmaler" is a "Publikumskünstler," a "low brow" artist that keeps the broad public as his/her audience in mind when it comes to motif and technique; nothing to artsy, easily understandable and accessible by most people, with a good entertainment value, as opposed to a "high-brow, artistic art."

Catering to the public (taste) would well describe it, and an

"artist/painter for the (broader) public" or
"commercial artist" or "low-brow artist" as I suggested, would probably too. And even a

"people's artist" or "pop(ular) artist" would fit, although the latter term would probably not have been used in the 19th century.

In other words, the good professor told him to sell out or become a "sell-out."

http://www.lagds-bremen.de/doc/narnstlerkrenfreiheit_30.pdf
nst"
Und meiner Meinung nach dürfen wir bei all den Ansprüchen,
die wir haben, nicht vergessen, FüR WEN wir Theater machen. Gut, für Eltern, Omas, Kollegen, Schulleiter, uns selbst, aber in erster Linie doch für ein jugendliches Publikum und nicht zuletzt für unsere
jugendlichen Spieler. Und ist es nicht ein wichtiges Kriterium,
wenn die Spieler großen Spaß am Spielen haben und das Publikum
jubelt? Auch wenn die Experten das entsprechende Stück "grotten-schlecht" finden? Theater ist "emotionale
Kommunikation", und, ein letztes Zitat:
„Theaterkunst ist immer auch Publikumskunst."(11)

(11)Gerhard Jöder in: DIE ZEIT
vom 15.3.2001



http://www.hallanzeiger.de/terminkalender/news_id061365/febr...

Die Diskussion basiert auf dem 1948 in Leipzig gehaltenen Vortrag Worringers zur "Problematik der Gegenwartskunst".
Grundthesen seines Statements: Der Kampf zwischen Künstlerkunst und Publikumskunst werde vielfach zu einem Klassenkampf umgefälscht; die Antithese: volksferne und volksnahe Kunst demaskiere den ideologischen Sinn staatlich propagierter Kulturpolitik und die Flachheit des häufig genutzten Slogans "die Kunst dem Volke".
Der Eintritt ist frei.

http://www.amazon.de/Art-Rock-Posters-Presley-Folio/dp/15585...
high art/popular



http://www.haus-giersch.de/seiten/aktuell.htm
Mit ihrer Erzählfreude sprach die Genremalerei das Gemüt des bürgerlichen Publikums an. Maler wie Johann Heinrich Hasselhorst, Anton Burger, Carl Bernhard Schloesser, Adolf Schleyer, Ludwig Knaus oder Heinz Heim erschlossen der Gattung in den kommenden Jahrzehnten ein vielfältigeres Motivspektrum und erweiterten die Bandbreite des malerischen Ausdrucks.

Die Genremalerei bewegte sich in der zweiten Hälfte des 19. Jahrhunderts zwischen den extremen Polen einer gefälligen Salonkunst und eines kritischen wie auch rein malerischen Realismus.

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Note added at 1 day12 hrs (2007-05-07 05:00:38 GMT)
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ALWAYS KEEPING IN MIND the art was meant for the public as in "middle class", the people who had money to pay the artist.

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Note added at 1 day13 hrs (2007-05-07 05:44:20 GMT)
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typo corr.: nothing to*o* artsy

Ass Bernhard says, "Publikumsmaler" would comprise the middle/merchant classes, i.e. not someone who does 2-minute (10-pound!) portraits for tourists on Trafalgar Square. ;-)

The now antiquated word "bespoke" occured to me - in today's language "made to order".

The existence of the stalls indicates that selling out of the workshop was probably limited to what in early modern America was called''bespoke work''
http://oit.boisestate.edu/sknox/dissertation/Ch4.html
(albeit for shoemakers)
Yes, "bespoke-work painter" doesn't sound too pretty - just an idea.

Otherwise, you could rephrase with e.g. "work on request/order"

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Note added at 1 day20 hrs (2007-05-07 12:44:33 GMT) Post-grading
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Oh well, only now does "commercial painter" occur to me - although I'm not sure if that's 19C-speak ;-)

Alternatives: audience-directed (cf. Audience Directed TV Programming [http://www.filmireland.net/archive/televisionsucks.htm]), sales-focussed, ...

An attitude which is focussed on sales rather than creative innovation.
See google hits: http://www.tiny.cc/xzUvk

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Since there is potential, at least in the post-grading world, for closer observation and more qualified judgement than has been demonstrated on this page, here are some more clues, especially for anybody who seriously doubts that the above-suggested term exists at all.
You may also want to watch the numbers for an idea of how long the term has been in use.

“populist painter”:

Haring, Keith (1958–90), U.S. populist painter, born in Kutztown, Penn.; started out as New York subway graffiti artist; studied at School of Visual Arts, New York City, 1978–79; artist in residence at Montreux Jazz Festival, Switzerland, 1983, and at Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, 1984; best known for graffiti-style art of faceless, sexless chalk figures surrounded by kinetic lines suggesting frantic movement; popularized…
http://www.britannica.com/ebi/article-9311596

Hendrik Mesdag was a banker turned populist painter. The panorama of the beach at Scheveningen is his masterpiece. Completed in 1881, the painting was recently restored and rehung. It's a kitschy delight. Standing in the center of the painting, with appropriate recorded bird calls and surf sounds playing, you'll get the feeling that you're standing on the beach.
http://community.iexplore.com/planning/journalEntryActivity....

Many in the art establishment considered Pro Hart to be a populist painter, yet he yearned to have his work treated seriously by his peers…
http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200603/s1602481.htm

Guerra strides forward in the steps of the great religious painters of centuries past. His feast of myopic, hyper-sexed excess points to Bosch. His ballooned woman floating skyward to the clouds recall the ecstatic ascensions of Tiepolo, Veronese, Guido Reni. And his fantastic, quasi-cinematic scale riffs on the postdiluvian epics of ***19th-century populist painter*** and printmaker John Martin…
http://www.jackthepelicanpresents.com/guerrapr.html

Prairie populist painter William Kurelek's stuff has gone from selling for below $20,000 for a major canvas five years ago to double that this month.
http://www.garth.ca/columns/010528.shtml

Jesse was the daughter of the well-known American populist painter, Thomas Hart Benton…
http://www.trussel.com/lyman/lyman.htm

THE LS LOWRY phenomenon goes on, as plans for a Salford centre devoted to his work and his memory gather pace and auction prices for his Lancashire stickmen continue to reach ever more bewildering levels. It's easy to be sniffy about such an overtly populist painter, but, as Works on Paper, including Shelter (right), shows, there was a real artist lurking behind the cliches…
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_19980922/ai_...

A lithograph by the populist painter Grant Wood, titled "Sultry Night" (1937), depicts a nude farmer dousing himself with a bucket of water. Harmless enough, one would think, though the print was declared pornographic by the United States Postal Service, which banned its transport through the mail…
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=990CE7DB1F30F...

As it moves beyond the artist's European period, the exhibit shows Rivera's parallel transition from cubist to populist painter. Urged to return to Mexico in 1921 by José Vasconcelos, the Mexican minister of education, Rivera pursued mural painting as a way of bringing art -- always with a message -- to the Mexican people.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/TPStory/L...

This list is incomplete. For some 163 hits for the same wording, refer to http://www.google.de/search?hl=de&client=firefox-a&rls=org.m... I have no idea why other contributors to this page did not even consider this possibility.