Der Rhônegletscher

Johann Peter Krafft prints bring the world of Biedermeier Vienna and its patriotic history paintings into your home. Krafft was a German-born Austrian painter of portraits, history and everyday life, trained in Vienna and in Paris under the influence of Jacques-Louis David, who became director of the imperial picture gallery at the Belvedere. Our collection of fine art prints includes his paintings and a large number of his careful head, hand and figure studies.

About Johann Peter Krafft

Johann Peter Krafft was born in Hanau on 15 September 1780, the son of an enamel painter. By ten he was attending a drawing school. In 1799 he was sent to live with an aunt in Vienna and enrolled at the Academy of Fine Arts, where he studied history painting with Heinrich Friedrich Füger.

In 1802 he went to Paris with Veit Hanns Schnorr von Carolsfeld, where he met Jacques-Louis David and François Gérard, who strongly influenced his style. He returned to Vienna in 1805 and established himself as a portrait painter, travelled in Italy in 1808–1809, and became a member of the Academy in 1813 and a professor in 1823. Three of his children, Marie, Albrecht and Julie, also became painters.

In 1828 he was appointed director of the Belvedere gallery, a post he held until his death, and he bought some 80 works for the collection in Munich, Dresden and Venice. He also advised on the care of monuments at Karlštejn Castle and Schönbrunn Palace. He died in Vienna in October 1856.

Style and Subjects

Krafft's style joins the clear drawing and solid figures of French Neoclassicism with a warmer, more Viennese interest in everyday feeling. His history paintings celebrate Austrian patriotism and the Habsburg emperors, from the Napoleonic Wars to great ceremonies.

His genre pictures, such as the departure and return of a soldier, brought history painting closer to ordinary life. He prepared every picture with careful studies of heads, hands and drapery, many of which are in the store.

Famous Works

• Oedipus and Antigone (1809), Musée du Louvre, Paris. A classical subject from his early, French-influenced years.
• The Farewell of the Country Soldier (1813), Belvedere, Vienna. A militiaman leaving his family, a key patriotic genre picture.
• The Return of the Country Soldier (1820). The soldier's joyful homecoming, companion to the Farewell.
• The Sally of Miklós Zrínyi from Szigetvár (1825), Hungarian National Gallery, Budapest. The Hungarian hero's last charge against the Ottoman army.
• Equestrian Portrait of Emperor Franz I (1832), Hermitage Museum, Saint Petersburg. The emperor on horseback.
• Archduke Charles at the Battle of Aspern (1838). The archduke and his staff at the battle of 1809.
• Ruggiero and Angelica (1842), Belvedere, Vienna. A scene from Ariosto's romantic epic.

Decorating with Krafft Prints

Krafft's history paintings and portraits suit traditional rooms with dark wood and rich colours: a study, library or dining room. His patriotic scenes appeal to anyone interested in Austrian and Napoleonic history.

His many pencil and oil studies of heads and hands, such as Julie Krafft, make an elegant group on a hallway or staircase wall, framed simply with wide mounts.

FAQ

Who was Johann Peter Krafft?

Johann Peter Krafft was a German-born Austrian painter who lived from 1780 to 1856. He specialised in portraits, history paintings and genre scenes and directed the Belvedere gallery in Vienna.

Who influenced Johann Peter Krafft?

He studied with Heinrich Friedrich Füger in Vienna and in Paris was influenced by Jacques-Louis David and François Gérard.

What is Krafft's most famous painting?

His pair of paintings of a country militiaman's departure and return, The Farewell of the Country Soldier (1813) and its companion, are among his best known.

What was Krafft's role at the Belvedere?

From 1828 until his death he was director of the imperial picture gallery at the Belvedere, and he bought about 80 works for its collection.

Were Krafft's children artists?

Yes. Three of his children, Marie, Albrecht and Julie Krafft, became painters.

Related Artists

• Heinrich Friedrich Füger: his teacher at the Vienna Academy
• François Gérard: French painter who influenced him in Paris
• Jacques-Louis David: French master who influenced his style
• Friedrich von Amerling: Viennese portrait painter of the next generation
• Peter Fendi: Viennese Biedermeier painter of the same era