Johann Schraudolph

Who was Johann Schraudolph?

Johann Schraudolph was a German historical painter.

As pupil and assistant of Heinrich Maria von Hess, he painted five scenes from the life of St. Boniface in the basilica at Munich: St. Boniface preaching; his consecration as bishop; the cutting down of Thor's oak; the anointing of Pepin; and the burial of St. Boniface. Hess had already tested his work in the Church of All Saints where Schraudolph had painted scenes from the history of Moses, figures of David, Saul, etc.. Some of his devotional pictures became very popular: the Virgin with the Child Jesus; St. Agnes; Christ as the Friend of children; a eucharistic service, etc.

On the recommendation of Hess he received an important commission from Ludwig I of Bavaria, namely the painting of the frescoes for the cathedral of Speyer. Although he had already traveled once through Italy under the guidance of J. Ant. Forster and had made numerous copies of the Old Masters, yet he considered it necessary to make a new journey to Rome and Overbeck for the sake of this, his magnum opus.