Martin van Meytens

Swedish-Austrian painter (1695–1770)

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Martin van Meytens
van Meytens, Self-Portrait, c. 1740s.
Born	24 June 1695 Stockholm, Sweden
Died	23 March 1770 (1770-03-24) (aged 74) Vienna, Austria

Martin van Meytens (24 June 1695 – 23 March 1770) was a Swedish-Austrian painter who painted members of the Royal Court of Austria such as Marie Antoinette, Maria Theresa of Austria, Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor, the Emperor's family and members of the local aristocracy. His painting style inspired many other painters to paint in a similar format.

Life and career

Martin van Meytens was born and baptised in Stockholm, Sweden, son of the painter Martin Meytens the Elder, who had moved around 1677 from The Hague to Sweden. He went early in his career on an extended study trip. He visited London, Paris and Vienna, then he lived and worked for a long time in Italy (Rome, Turin). At the beginning he painted little enamel miniature portraits, and he changed to oil painting only around 1730, having settled in Vienna. Here he became very popular as a portrait painter in the circles of the court and the aristocracy. In 1732 he became a court painter, and in 1759 the director of the Viennese Academy of Fine Arts. Franz Xaver Messerschmidt was his protégé.

Meytens was one of the most significant Austrian painters of representative Baroque courtly portrait, and through his pupils and followers his influence remained alive and widespread for a long time throughout the whole Empire. His personal virtues, varied interests, erudition and pleasant manners were highly appreciated by his contemporaries.

The Wedding Supper depicts the wedding of Princess Isabella of Parma and Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor, 5 October 1760, at Hofburg Palace's Redoutensaele (Redoute Hall). The moment depicted is when the dessert is served, in the middle of the table is a garden made by sugar crust.^[1]

Among his pupils was Giovanni Gabriele Cantone (born Vienna, 24 May 1710).^[2]

Works

ca. 1731; Kneeling Nun, Recto, (Nationalmuseum – Stockholm)
1741; Kaiser Franz I
1744; Maria Theresia, (Ghent Town Hall)
1745–1750; Familie der Grafen Pálffy
1750; Archduke Maximilian, (The Winnipeg Art Gallery)
1752–1753; Fam. Grill, ( Museum Gothenburg)
1750–1755; Maria Theresia als Herrscherin, (Schönbrunn Palace)
1754; Ksl. Familie, (Schönbrunn Palace);
1759; Maria Theresia, (Academy of Fine Arts)

Selected works

Works
Archduchess Maria Amalia of Austria (later Maria Amalia, Duchess of Parma)
Archduchess Maria Antonia of Austria, 1767 (later Marie Antoinette, Queen of France)
Archduchess Maria Johanna Gabriela of Austria
Maria Josepha of Bavaria, Holy Roman Empress
Portrait of Emperor Francis I (workshop)
Joseph de France and his Family
Sackska family painting
Carl Gustaf Tessin, Ulla Sparre of Sundby and Brita Stina Sparre