Heinrich Friedrich Füger (8 December 1751 – 5 November 1818) was a

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany, the country of the Germans and German things **Germania (Roman era) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...

classicist Classics, also classical studies or Ancient Greek and Roman studies, is the study of classical antiquity. In the Western world, ''classics'' traditionally refers to the study of Ancient Greek literature, Ancient Greek and Roman literature and ...

portrait A portrait is a painting, photograph, sculpture, or other artistic representation of a person, in which the face is always predominant. In arts, a portrait may be represented as half body and even full body. If the subject in full body better r ...

and

historical painter History painting is a genre in painting defined by its subject matter rather than any artistic style or specific period. History paintings depict a moment in a narrative story, most often (but not exclusively) Greek and Roman mythology and Bible ...

Biography

Füger was born in

Heilbronn Heilbronn () is a List of cities and towns in Germany, city in northern Baden-Württemberg, Germany, surrounded by Heilbronn (district), Heilbronn District. From the late Middle Ages on, it developed into an important trading centre. At the begi ...

. He became a pupil of

Nicolas Guibal Nicolas Guibal (29 November 1725, Lunéville — 3 November 1784, Stuttgart) was an artist, art educator and art gallery director from the Duchy of Lorraine. He worked for most of his career as a court painter for Charles Eugene, Duke of Württembe ...

Stuttgart Stuttgart (; ; Swabian German, Swabian: ; Alemannic German, Alemannic: ; Italian language, Italian: ; ) is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Baden-Württemberg by population, largest city of the States of Germany, German state of ...

and of

Adam Friedrich Oeser Adam Friedrich Oeser (17 February 1717 in Pressburg – 18 March 1799 in Leipzig) was a German etcher, painter and sculptor. Biography Oeser worked and studied in Pressburg (student of Georg Raphael Donner in sculpture) and Vienna at the V ...

Leipzig Leipzig (, ; ; Upper Saxon: ; ) is the most populous city in the States of Germany, German state of Saxony. The city has a population of 628,718 inhabitants as of 2023. It is the List of cities in Germany by population, eighth-largest city in Ge ...

. Afterward, he travelled and spent some time in

Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...

and

Naples Naples ( ; ; ) is the Regions of Italy, regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 908,082 within the city's administrative limits as of 2025, while its Metropolitan City of N ...

, where he painted

fresco Fresco ( or frescoes) is a technique of mural painting executed upon freshly laid ("wet") lime plaster. Water is used as the vehicle for the dry-powder pigment to merge with the plaster, and with the setting of the plaster, the painting become ...

es in the Palazzo Caserta. On his return to

Vienna Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...

he was appointed court painter,

professor Professor (commonly abbreviated as Prof.) is an Academy, academic rank at university, universities and other tertiary education, post-secondary education and research institutions in most countries. Literally, ''professor'' derives from Latin ...

, and vice-director of the

Academy An academy (Attic Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια; Koine Greek Ἀκαδημία) is an institution of tertiary education. The name traces back to Plato's school of philosophy, founded approximately 386 BC at Akademia, a sanctuary of Athena, the go ...

, and in 1806 director of the Belvedere Gallery. Among his historical paintings are: ''The Farewell of Coriolanus'' (Czernin Gallery, Vienna), ''Allegory on the Peace of Vienna'' (1801), ''The Death of Germanicus'' (1789), ''

The Assassination of Caesar ''The Assassination of Caesar'' is an oil on canvas painting by German artist Heinrich Füger, created in 1818, which depicts the assassination of Julius Caesar Julius Caesar, the Roman dictator, was assassinated on the Ides of March (15 M ...

'', and ''Bathsheba'' (Budapest Gallery). Among his portraits are those of the

Emperor Joseph II Joseph II (13 March 1741 – 20 February 1790) was Holy Roman Emperor from 18 August 1765 and sole ruler of the Habsburg monarchy from 29 November 1780 until his death. He was the eldest son of Empress Maria Theresa and her husband, Emperor F ...

, the Grand Duchess Elizabeth Wilhelmine of Württemberg,

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 1756 – 5 December 1791) was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical period (music), Classical period. Despite his short life, his rapid pace of composition and proficiency from an early age ...

, Queen Caroline of Naples, and

Horatio Nelson Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson, 1st Duke of Bronte ( – 21 October 1805) was a Royal Navy officer whose leadership, grasp of strategy and unconventional tactics brought about a number of decisive British naval victories during the French ...

, who sat for him in Vienna in 1800 (National Portrait Gallery, London). He painted in the classic style of

Louis David Jacques-Louis David (; 30 August 1748 – 29 December 1825) was a French painter in the Neoclassical style, considered to be the preeminent painter of the era. In the 1780s, his cerebral brand of history painting marked a change in taste away f ...

and

Anton Raphael Mengs Anton Raphael Mengs (12 March 1728 – 29 June 1779) was a German Neoclassicism, Neoclassical painter. Early life Mengs was born on 12 March 1728, at Ústí nad Labem in the Kingdom of Bohemia, the son of Ismael Mengs, a Danish-born painter wh ...

and was inclined to be theatrical. Füger was also a teacher; among his pupils was

Gustav Philipp Zwinger Gustav Philipp Zwinger (3 January 1779 – 15 January 1819), painter and etcher, was born at Nuremberg. He was the son and pupil of the painter and engraver Sigmund Zwinger (1744—1813), now chiefly remembered as a teacher. Gustav completed his ...

, and

Franciszek Ksawery Lampi Franciszek Ksawery Lampi, also known as Franz Xaver Lampi (22 January 1782 – 22 July 1852), was a Polish Romantic painter born in Austria of ethnic Italian background. He was associated with the aristocratic circle of the late Stanisław II ...

. He died in

Selected paintings

Image:Heinrich Friedrich Füger 002.jpg, Execution of a

Vestal Virgin In ancient Rome, the Vestal Virgins or Vestals (, singular ) were priestesses of Vesta, virgin goddess of Rome's sacred hearth and its flame. The Vestals were unlike any other public priesthood. They were chosen before puberty from several s ...

, Detail Image:Heinrich Friedrich Füger 005.jpg, Portrait of Prince

Nikolay Yusupov Prince Nikolai Borisovich Yusupov (; – 15 July 1831) was a Russian nobleman and art collector of the House of Yusupov. Biography He was the fifth child and only surviving son of Prince Boris Grigoryevich Yusupov (1695-1759). He served as a se ...

, Detail Image:Heinrich fueger 1817 prometheus brings fire to mankind.jpg,

Prometheus In Greek mythology, Prometheus (; , , possibly meaning "forethought")Smith"Prometheus". is a Titans, Titan. He is best known for defying the Olympian gods by taking theft of fire, fire from them and giving it to humanity in the form of technol ...

Brings Fire to Mankind Image:Füger Apotheose Erzh Karl.jpg, Apotheosis of

Archduke Charles, Duke of Teschen Archduke Charles Louis John Joseph Lawrence of Austria, Duke of Teschen (; 5 September 177130 April 1847) was an Austrian field marshal, the third son of Emperor Leopold II and his wife, Maria Luisa of Spain. He was also the younger brother of ...

Image:Heinrich Friedrich Füger 003.jpg, Portrait of

Marie Thérèse of France Marie-Thérèse Charlotte (19 December 1778 – 19 October 1851) was the eldest child of King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette of France, and their only child to reach adulthood. In 1799 she married her cousin Louis Antoine, Duke of Angou ...

References

External links

:Attribution: 18th-century German painters 18th-century German male artists German male painters 19th-century German painters 19th-century German male artists 1751 births 1818 deaths People from Heilbronn Academic staff of the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna State Academy of Fine Arts Stuttgart alumni {{Germany-painter-stub

Biography

Selected paintings

See also

References

External links