Anton Raphael Mengs

Stil: Renaissance; Neo-Classicism; Baroque; Neo Classicism;

Plass: Ústí Nad Labem

Født: 1728

Død: 1779

Biografi:

Anton Raphael Mengs was a German Bohemian painter, active in Rome, Madrid, and Saxony, who became one of the precursors to Neoclassical painting. Born on March 22, 1728, in Ústí nad Labem (German: Aussig) in Bohemia, Mengs was the son of Ismael Mengs, a Danish painter who eventually established himself at Dresden.

Early Life and Training

Mengs' early life was marked by his father's influence, who took him to Rome in 1741 to copy some works of Raphael for the Elector of Saxony. This experience had a profound impact on Mengs' style, which would later become characterized by its classical and Neoclassical elements. In 1749, Mengs was appointed the first painter to Frederick Augustus, Elector of Saxony, but he continued to spend much of his time in Rome.

Artistic Career

Mengs' artistic career was marked by several notable works, including his fresco painting of Parnassus at Villa Albani, which gained him a reputation as a master painter. He also painted a superb fresco on the dome of the church of Sant'Eusebio in Rome, and his ceiling of the banqueting hall of the Royal Palace of Madrid is considered one of his best works. Mengs' style was influenced by the Roman Baroque, but he also came to share Johann Joachim Winckelmann's enthusiasm for classical antiquity. Key aspects of Mengs' career:

• Appointed first painter to Frederick Augustus, Elector of Saxony in 1749
• Converted to Catholicism and became director of the Vatican painting school in 1754
• Painted The School of Athens for the Duke of Northumberland in 1752-5, now in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum
• Collaborated with Johann Joachim Winckelmann to establish Neoclassical painting

Mengs' rivalry with Pompeo Batoni and his friendship with Giacomo Casanova are also notable aspects of his career. For more information on Mengs' life and work, visit Wikioo.org or Wikipedia. Some of his notable paintings can be found at Museo del Prado and Staedtische Galerie im Lenbachhaus, which are also featured on Wikioo.org. Mengs died in Rome in June 1779, leaving behind a legacy as one of the precursors to Neoclassical painting.