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Johann Jakob Zeiller was born on July 8, 1708. His childhood was anything but boring because his father Paul Zeiller, an acknowledged artist, began quite early to promote his son who was eager to learn with great partiality for painting.
The father wasn’t always sensitive in his methods, this point is underlined by the following episode: In order not to be distracted from drawing his father bound him to the drawing board. However the paternal studio was the first apprenticeship for the artist, but the baroque painter could only grow mature in Italy. As a 16-year-old his father sent him to Rome where he got to know the Swiss copperplate engraver Jakob Frey. Frey introduced J.J. Zeiller to Sebastino Concas who was a fantastic teacher with a studio in Palazzo Farnese. J.J. left Rome at the age of 23 after a serious illness and went to Neapel to Francesco Solimena.
Since 1732 J.J. worked in Vienna at the Imperial Academy of Fine Arts where he wanted to perfect his painting. He also worked with Paul Troger on a frescodesign of the collegiate church in Altenburg. He was awarded two first prizes namely a diploma and the title of a Court Painter. In Vienna there were hardly any possibilities to get assignments. In 1744 he fortunately got the chance to establish himself as a fresco-painter. Under favourable circumstances J.J. got to know the Munich architect Johann Michael who gave him some assignments.
After his stopover in Italy wanted J.J. Zeiller take a permanent residence in Vienna. But he made really bad luck because his house burnt. That was the reason for going to Reutte. 1755 he undertook the workshop and the painter-school in his fatherly „Zeillerhaus“ in „Untermarkt“. About 1775 the big assignments ended. - Before dying at the age of 75 he painted his last fresco in the Johannis-church in Feldkirch.
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I still remember July 8, 1708 when I slipped out of mother’s whom. Soon I grew up to a always joking guy. But one event overshadowed my probably cool childhood. My father was an eager artist and helped me early to become his successor. So it happened that he wasn’t always sensitive in his methods. This I will tell you now.
It happened on an afternoon in spring. It was very idyllic, almost trashy and for the first time it seemed more important to me to go out with a girl instead of painting. My father recognised this. To prevent my intention he wound a piece of string round me and tied me on my chair. So I made a hash of the nice afternoon and I also lost my girl. At first I was really angry but it wasn’t as bad as it seemed to.
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Jesus holding a white lily in his hand sits on a cloud which floats above the altar. A bright shining halo surrounds his fair hair. On the left side Hl. Antonius kneels and looks respectfully up to Jesus. Round the altar there are several angels who admire Jesus, too. In the background a room with a window, a railing and columns is painted The altar stands on a pattered marblefloor.
The foreground is painted with deep and rich colours whereas the background is painted with pale colours. The centre of the painting - Jesus and the Hl. Antonius - is illuminated. Zeiller uses lightening effects to stress the important figures. Jesus and the Hl. Antonius are the eye-catchers.
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