Old Market-Place in Dresden

1747–1757

Post: court painter

1748–1752

The King and Queen stand godparents to his daughters

Marks of the court's high esteem included a gold snuffbox and the fact that the four daughters born to Bellotto between 1748 and 1752 had the royal couple, members of the princely house and Count and Countess von Brühl as godparents.

1756

The Seven Years' War: Saxony under Prussian occupation

With the outbreak of the Seven Years' War, Pirna and Königstein became battlegrounds, Prussian troops occupied Saxony, and the painter's patron Augustus III went into exile in Warsaw.

1759

Moves to Vienna, to the court of Maria Theresa

Bellotto moved to Vienna and stayed there a little over two years. He had accepted Empress Maria Theresa's invitation in 1758, as his international reputation grew.

late 1761

Returns to war-torn Dresden

After almost a year in Munich, at the end of 1761 Bellotto returned to Dresden, still torn by war.

1761

To Munich with the Empress's recommendation

With a letter of recommendation from Maria Theresa, Bellotto went to Munich, where he met the Saxon heir Frederick Christian, then visiting the Bavarian Elector Maximilian III. For his hosts he painted a panorama of Munich and two views of Nymphenburg Palace (now in the Munich Residenz).