Anton von
Maron

He studied at the Vienna Academy, and in 1755 went to Rome, where he remained for the rest of his life. From 1756 to 1761 he was first the pupil and the assistant of Anton Raphael Mengs. In 1765 he married Mengs's sister, the artist-miniaturist Theresia Concordia Mengs. Although he received many orders for work of this type, true masterpieces of creativity Maron lie in the field of portraiture. Along with Pompeo Batoni, Maron was the most celebrated portraitist of the 18th century in Rome. He received a huge number of orders from princes, diplomats and Church dignitaries, from English aristocrats visiting Rome. Maron drew customers in "style Batoni" – usually life-size, in elegant trendy outfits, against the background of classical sculptures and views of Rome.

Austrian painter, worked in Austria and Italy. He studied first at K. Nigham (or eigen) in Vienna, continued his artistic education in 1755-1761 in Rome, studying with A. R. Mengs. He was married to his sister Teresa, the artist-miniaturist. Helped Mengs in the work on the frescoes of the Church of SV. Eusebio in Rome, the Villa of cardinal Albani (1761). Maron is well mastered the technique of frescoes. Inherited manner of a late-Gothic Austrian painting, he transformed his style in the spirit of Roman Neoclassicism. Wrote of easel paintings and frescoes on subjects from ancient history and mythology, but was mainly known as a portraitist.

In the tradition of neo-classicism interpreted by the artist scene on the story from the Aeneid of Virgil — the Return of Orestes (1786, Houston Museum of art). The figure of the son of Agamemnon — Orestes, Electra, Clytemnestra, Pylades is depicted violently gesticulating, on the background of the seated statues of Apollo, found in 1768 in Herculaneum. Episode of ancient literature, who loved to portray the Baroque master, Maron interprets in a new way using techniques neoklassitsisticheskoy painting, giving the figures of resemblance to the antique sculpture, highlighting the Central group of characters, strictly arranging the composition. For the casino of the Villa Borghese in 1784-1785 was created a cycle of frescoes with scenes from the Aeneid. Stories decorative paintings, the artist often repeated a small easel paintings (Anhis and Aeneas, the Death of Didon, the Return of Orestes, all — 1787, Rome, Galleria Borghese), one of the customers which was cardinal Doria.

In 1784 he became a member of the Academy of St. Luke. After his departure in 1781 by A. R. Mengs in Madrid the position of Maron in Rome is even stronger. His fame portrait is evidenced by the fact that P. Batoni ordered him in 1779 his portrait and portrait of his wife. Sam Maron sometimes imitated Batoni. He liked to portray noble customers at the Roman landscape, ancient buildings. This is his Portrait of Elizabeth Harvey, fourth marquises of Bristol (1778, Vienna Museum of art history; 1779, private collection), Wife of the famous Irish leader of the Catholic Church, a confidant of the English king is depicted sitting in a chair, in a beautiful dress, trimmed with black lace. Dark portrait background effectively sets off the exquisite beauty of her dress. In 1787 Maron performed a self-Portrait (Florence, Uffizi gallery), presenting himself at work in the Studio. In 1787-1794, he had written four self-portrait. The last of them, Dating from 1794 (Berlin, State. museums), the most successful, it is most deeply revealed the nature of the artist. Among the works of Maron there are formal portraits, which primarily emphasized the aristocratic origin of the models, lush surroundings (the series of portraits of nobles of Genoa, 1791-1792; Doge, Michelangelo Cambiaso, private collection). Maron after the death of A. R. Mengs continued his work. Published with K. Buti engravings from the frescoes of the Villa Negroni.