Anthon Rafael Mengs

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ABohemianpainter, usually regarded as belonging to the Italian or Spanishschool, b. at Aussig inBohemia, 12 March, 1728; d. inRome, 29 June, 1779. He received his instruction from hisfather, Ismael Mengs, who went to Dresden while his son was quite young, and in 1741 moved toRome, where he copied in miniature some works ofRaphael for the Elector of Saxony, which were intended for Dresden. From his youth Mengs was an energetic and skilful artist, and he was appointed apainter to the Elector of Saxony before he was sixteen years old, his skill in crayon portraiture having attracted attention inDresden. He did not, however, feel disposed to accept the position, and declined it with becoming modesty, returning toRome, devoting himself to his studies, and working with hisfather for four years. InRome he married Margarita Quazzi, a poor and virtuous peasant girl who had sat for him as a model. At the same time Mengsbecame aCatholic and the marriage took place in theCatholic church. Shortly afterwards he returned again to Dresden with hisfather, but speedily had a serious difficulty with him, being hurtled with his wife and daughter into the street. The King ofPoland, who was then Elector of Saxony, promptly named him a second time as apainter in ordinary to the Royal household, and employed him to decorate theCatholic church inDresden. Owing to difficulties in the king's finances, Mengs went again toRome in 1752, and was there employed by the Duke of Northumberland to make copies of several important pictures byRaphael still in the possession of the present holder of the title, and to be seen at Albury and Alnwick. For many years Mengs supported himself inRome by various commissions as all his income fromDresden had been stopped, the emperor Frederick having driven the King ofPoland out ofSaxony. It was at this time that Mengspainted a superb fresco on thedome of thechurch of St. Eusebius inRome, and another very important work in the Villa Albani. He then went on toNaples, and executed various commissions,painting an importantaltar-piece forCaserta, and some portraits, but quickly returned toRome for a short time, and was then pressed to enter the service of the Spanish King, Charles III. He arrived atMadrid in 1761. Here he carried out a very large number of commissions, and was a member, and eventually the director of the Academy of St. Ferdinand. Once more he went back toRome for the sake of his health, and was employed byClement XIV in the Vatican. He then returned toMadrid in 1773, andpainted "the Apotheosis of Trajan" in the royal palace, and several other pictures for Charles III. Again his health broke down, and he finally returned toRome, where his wife died. He also died there, and was buried in the church of San Michele, where there is a bronze monument to his memory.

Mengs was a skilful writer, as well as a cleverpainter, but a man of melancholy dispositions, and of strange, stern habits, too sparing in his diet, and given to over-exertion. He was an affectionate father and husband, but somewhat improvident, and had so littlefaith in his own profession that he refused to allow his children to beeducated for it. As a copyist he had extraordinary merit, and his original pictures are eclectic in their composition and technique, correct in design, smooth in execution, but somewhat too sweet and a trifle insipid. As a portraitpainter, he had great success, and his works in pastel and crayon are amongst his finest creations. There are many of hispaintings inDresden andVienna, and in the former city are some excellent miniature portraits and some copies in miniature ofpaintings byRaphael.

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