Thomas von Villach früher: Meister von Gerlamoos, eigentlich Thomas Artula

Thomas von Villach (formerly called: Meister von Gerlamoos, real name: Thomas Artula), b. 1435-40 (?), d. after 1520; most important fresco and panel painter of the second half of the 15th century in Carinthia. Lived and worked in Villach from approx. 1455; probably student of and successor to Friedrich von Villach, was open to Italian influences, later studied Dutch art. Designed frescos in Carinthia, e.g. in Gerlamoos (around 1475/80) and Thörl (around 1475); additionally, the "Landplagenbild" (The Ten Plagues) picture on the façade of the cathedral of Graz (1485) and frescoes in Sankt Paul im Lavanttal (1493) were ascribed to him; panel paintings by the artist are found in Villach, Klagenfurt, Bolzano/Bozen (South Tirol) and elsewhere; the special merits of Thomas von Villach are his very fine representations with rich and elaborate details.

Literature: G. Hopfmüller, Neue Studien zu T. v. V., doctoral thesis, Graz 1980; J. Höfler, Die Tafelmalerei der Gotik in Kä. (1420-1500), 1987.