Conrad Faber von Kreuznach

Conrad Faber (his surname Latin for 'Schmied' or 'Smith' - probably adopted under the influence of his humanist clientele) appears to have been born and/or trained in Bad Kreuznach. When first documented in Frankfurt in 1524, he was already married, so a birth date around 1500 seems plausible. He was first employed in the workshop of Hans Fyoll, who according to the sources was a member of Frankfurt's most important painting clan in the waning Middle Ages. In 1638 Faber was accorded citizenship, and in the following years held various municipal offices and was repeatedly mentioned in connection with property transfers and loans. In 1552 he signed a monumental siege map of Frankfurt that was published as a woodcut, and for it received an honorary gift from the city council. By the spring of the following year, the artist had died. Unlike Albrecht Dürer, who produced graphic works for the market - in the literal sense - Faber appears to have relied heavily on the wishes of clients and specialised in only a few areas: he was the most sought-after Frankfurt portrait painter of his time, but he also produced topographical views and heraldic designs.