Daniel Gran (1694 - 1757)

Baptised on 22 May 1694 in St. Stephan’s Church in Vienna, Daniel Gran received initial instruction in painting from the Augustinian friar Abraham a Santa Clara (1644–1709). He trained briefly with Adam Pankraz Ferg (1651–1729), before becoming pupil, assistant and finally son-in-law of Johann Georg Werle (1668–1727), who helped him to specialise in fresco painting, and introduced him to Prince Adam Franz von Schwarzenberg (1680–1732). This patron enabled him to study in Italy, so that his work shows the lasting influence of Sebastiano Ricci (1659– 1734) in Venice, Guido Reni (1575–1642) in Bologna, Carlo Maratta (1625–1713) and Andrea Sacchi (1599–1661) in Rome, and Francesco Solimena (1657–1747) in Naples. He returned to Vienna in 1723, establishing himself beside Rottmayr (1654–1730), Altomonte the Elder (1657–1745) and the Italians. Gran was appointed court painter, and received important commissions from monasteries and the aristocracy.

Author: Ducke Astrid

Literature: DUCKE Astrid, HABERSATTER Thomas, OEHRING Erika: Masterworks. Residenzgalerie Salzburg. Salzburg 2015, S. 96