Mengs, Anton Raphael

Mengs, Anton Raphael (1728-1779), German painter, an important figure in the development of Neo-Classicism.

Mengs was born in Aussig, Bohemia, on March 22, 1728, but was brought up in Dresden, where his father Ismael Israel Mengs was court painter. During the 1740s he made two trips to Rome, where he studied antique, Renaissance, and Baroque art. He was himself made court painter at Dresden in 1745, but left soon afterwards, spending most of the rest of his life in Rome, Naples, and Madrid. He died in Rome on June 29, 1779.

Much of Mengs's early career consisted of portraiture in either pastel or oil, often recalling the style of French court art. He also painted a number of altarpieces, inspired by Italian artists, above all Raphael. Influenced by the ideas of Johann Joachim Winckelmann, Mengs's works became increasingly classical in their style and composition, as can be seen from his idealized fresco of Parnassus, executed in the early 1760s at the Villa Albani in Rome. This was followed by a cycle of frescoes at the Palacio Real in Madrid, created between 1762 and 1775. Despite these major commissions, Mengs also continued to produce portraits, such as the self-portrait of 1774 (Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool).

During his life Mengs was highly influential on other artists through his crucial role as the leading exponent of Neo-Classicism. His work has, however, been less highly rated by later generations.