Franz Alt, son of the landscape painter Jakob Alt and brother of the architectural and landscape painter Rudolf von Alt, studied at the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts from 1836, where he first mainly worked on figural studies. He then soon turned to architectural and landscape painting in watercolour. Among others, his schoolmates were Eduard Ender, Carl Göbel, Eduard Engerth and his friend August Pettenkofen. In 1844, Alt finished his studies and travelled to Northern Italy via Tyrol. Through the painter Johann Nepomuk Schödlberger, who supported the young artist, he became acquainted with his later patron Count Casimir Esterhazy. This led to the artist working as court painter and drawing teacher at Stiebar Castle for many years. The artistic result was a series of watercolours which captured life in the castle and the surrounding landscape. Franz Alt travelled all over Europe: in 1848 he stayed in Venice, in 1867 he accompanied Archduke Ludwig Viktor to Portugal and Spain, and around 1869 he visited Moscow and St. Petersburg. Picturesque views from Germany, Switzerland, France, Belgium, Holland, England and Italy give evidence of his journeys. On the occasion of the Vienna World’s Fair in 1873, he was awarded with the 'Medal for Art'. Characteristic for Franz Alt's vedute are bright colours and a delicate, often pointillistic brushwork. Colour and drawing are of a restrained elegance; strong accents and contrasts are left out. According to Ludwig Hevesi, a "pleasant lyricism" characterises his painting style.
Literature
Franz Alt, 1824-1914, Versteigerung des künstlerischen Nachlasses, C. J. Wawra, Wien 1916, mit einem Vorwort von A. v. Schaeffer; R. Feuchtmüller, Gedächtnisausstellung Franz Alt mit Werken von Jakob und Rudolf Alt, Gresten-Schloß Stiebar, Wien 1955, mit Lit.; Nachschlagewerke: Thieme-Becker, Boetticher, Vollmer, Bénézit, Müller-Singer, Busse Nr. 01206