Martin van Meytens (Stockholm, 1695 - Vienna, 1770) came from a family of Flemish artists. He began studying art with his father, the painter Martin van Meytens (the Elder), who had moved to Sweden from The Hague, and soon embarked on a cosmopolitan career travelling all over Europe to complete his education. The first cities he visited were London, Paris and Vienna, prior to moving to Italy, where he resided for some considerable time. He finally settled in Vienna, where he also took out Austrian citizenship.
His early miniatures and enamelwork gave way to oils from 1730 onwards, when he became famous at the Austrian court as a portrait painter. In 1732 he became the court painter and in 1759, Director of the Fine Arts Academy of Vienna. The portrait of the Archduchess Maria Amalia Habsburg-Lothringen is one of the most beautiful examples of his work. Full of life and colour, the painting created a following and his refined and elegant style spread throughout the whole Empire.
