Bacchus, Ceres und Amor

1594

Raised to the nobility

Emperor Rudolf II, who had appointed him court painter two years earlier, raises the artist to the nobility.

1596

Move to Prague

Having married Regina, daughter of the court composer Orlando di Lasso, in Munich, he moves with her to Prague, where he stays for the rest of his life (other accounts date the move to 1597 or even 1601); the family had five children. He had been court painter since 1592 but was not obliged to live at court and had previously worked from Munich.

1596–1615 · Virkested

Prague

1602

Diplomatic trip to Brunswick and Saxony

On the emperor's diplomatic business he travels to Brunswick, Wolfenbüttel, Wittenberg and Dresden. Rudolf II also relied on him as an advisor on his art collection, sending him to collection owners to press them to accept the emperor's offers.

1603–1605

Court visits: portraits of the emperor's prospective brides

He travels to Innsbruck, Venice, Turin, Mantua and Modena, partly to portray potential future consorts of the emperor; under this pretext he was also to learn the terms of a marriage and the likely dowry.

1605

Knighted by Rudolf II

Emperor Rudolf II confers knighthood on the painter.