Hans Maler zu Schwaz (1480/1488–1526/1529) was a German painter born in Ulm and active as portraitist in the village of Schwaz, near Innsbruck. Maler may have trained with the German artist Bartholomäus Zeitblom, who was chief master of the School of Ulm between 1484 and 1517. He painted numerous portraits of members of the Habsburg court at Innsbruck as well as of wealthy merchants such as the Fuggers.[1]

Portrait of Anton Fugger, by Maler
Portrait of Queen Anne of Hungary, by Maler

Maler's two most important patrons were Ferdinand I of Austria, who at the time was Archduke (Later Emperor) and the celebrated Fuggers. Ferdinand is known to have commissioned at least three portraits of himself and four of his wife, Anna of Bohemia and Hungary. Maler also painted portraits in 1517 of Sebastian Andorfer, a successful metal maker and merchant from Schwaz.[2] His portrait style rarely varied from his bust-format, where the subject's hands were not shown and without eye contact to the viewer.[3]

He received commissions early on in his career from Ferdinand's grandfather, Maximilian I and was also commissioned in 1508 for frescoes depicting the Habsburg family tree in Ambras Castle.[4]

Selected works

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References

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  1. ^ "The Metropolitan Museum of Art - Works of Art: European Paintings". www.metmuseum.org. Archived from the original on 2005-02-12.
  2. ^ "Hans Maler zu Schwaz". Virtual Uffizi Gallery.
  3. ^ Grove Dictionary of Art, biography on Maler at artnet.com
  4. ^ Cuneo, Pia F. (1998). Art and Politics in Early Modern Germany. ISBN 9004111840.
  5. ^ "El Museo de arte Thyssen-Bornemisza - (Paseo del Prado, 8, Madrid-España)". museothyssen.org. Archived from the original on 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2007-07-14.
  6. ^ "Œuvres en ligne". musba-bordeaux.fr.
  7. ^ "The Kress Collection Thumbnails". Archived from the original on 2007-09-28. Retrieved 2007-07-14.
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