JULIUS VON BLAAS
(Italian 1845-1923)

AVAILABLE WORKS

Born in Italy, Julius von Blaas studied under his father, genre painter Karl von Blass in is Venice studio. Julius was also influenced by his celebrated older brother Eugen von Blaas (1843-1931). Julius studied in Florence and Rome before attending the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna where he later became a professor. He devoted himself to equestrian subjects which were greatly admired, but was also known for his historical works, portraits and battle scenes. He also travelled to Rome where he painted genre scenes of the Campagna. Von Blaas was a member of the prestigious Vienna Künstlerhaus artists association, which organized a memorial exhibition after his death. He received the Archduke Carl-Ludwig Medal in 1888.

Like his father Karl, Julius was employed by the Austrian court as a portrait painter and completed almost 50 portrait commissions, including numerous equestrian portraits of the Emperor as well as his wife Empress Elisabeth. However, von Blaas also considered himself a naturalist and was very interested in genre scenes depicting ordinary people. These works are now considered important as they document the Austrian Empire of the time. His work is well represented in public institutions including the Imperial Museum and Belvedere in Vienna.