Johann Joseph Neidl

Johann Joseph Neidl (20 March 177631 August 1832) was an Austrian engraver, coppersmith, and printmaker who was active in Frankfurt, Vienna, and Munich.

Early life and education Johann Joseph (or Josef) Neidl was born and christened on 20 March 1776 in Graz, Duchy of Styria, part of the Habsburg monarchy (now Austria). Born into a servant's family, he apprenticed as a silversmith while dedicating his spare time to drawing and carefully replicating copperplate engravings.

Career Neidl went to Vienna (then the capital of the Habsburg monarchy) and set up an art shop at the turn of the 18th century. He specialized in copper engravings, and he also ventured into foreign markets.

He was commissioned to do stipple engraving for the music publishing firm of Artaria & Co. Around 1800, Neidl created a gouache portrait of Haydn for Artaria. He also engraved a portrait of Italian composer Luigi Cherubini, published by Artaria in Vienna, around 1800. He went on to contribute several actor portraits to the theater almanacs published by Wallishauser in Vienna. Neidl later engraved a portrait of German composer Carl Maria von Weber based on a painting by Joseph Lange in 1804.

Alongside his other works, Neidl published a drawing book for ladies, inspired by the drawings of Füger and Caucig.

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