Heinrich Friedrich Füger (1751 - 1818)

Son of a Protestant pastor, Füger showed an early interest in painting. In 1664 he was sent to the Académie des Arts founded by Duke Karl von Württemberg in Ludwigsburg, which was oriented towards French art. His subsequent career took him to Leipzig, Dresden, Heilbronn and Vienna, and in 1776 to Rome and Naples. 1777–1779 Füger was a pupil of Anton Raphael Mengs (1728–1779) in Rome. Under the influence of his mentor and of English portrait painting, his style changed from rococo to early classicism. Initially, he painted miniature portraits for aristocratic and bourgeois clients, and worked for the Neapolitan court until he left for Vienna in 1783 to become vice-director at the Academy, then in 1795 director. At the same time, he received the honorary title of “k.k. Hofmaler” [imperial and royal court painter], and in 1806 was appointed director of the imperial painting gallery in Vienna. After 1798 he no longer painted miniature portraits. His large-format panel paintings show figural, mythological and historical subjects.

Author: Habersatter Thomas

Literature: Ducke Astrid, Habersatter Thomas (Hrsg. I Ed.): Face to Face. Österreichische Porträtmalerei des 19. Jahrhunderts. 19th-century Austrian portrait painting. Residenzgalerie Salzburg I DomQuartier Salzburg 6.6.-29.9.2025. Salzburg 2025, S. I p. 165