Volmar, a painter of historical and genre subjects, moved to Zurich early in his career to work for Johann Caspar Lavater (1741 - 1801). After studies in Rome and Paris, he settled in Berne from 1791 as a professor of drawing at the local Academy. He was proficient in almost all types of painting, but specialized mostly in watercolours and gouaches of the type of ours.

His subject-matter consisted in rural motifs of all kinds.  His gouaches are generally of the same size and composition, with two or three figures.  This type of gouache was greatly in demand  for wealthy Swiss patrician households.