From the cycle "Emperor Maximilian and the Arts"
Oil on canvas, 2019, 140 x 100 cm (h x w)
After the Battle of Bergisel in 1809, the legend of Andreas Hofer, who fought Napoleon like David against Goliath, went across Europe. As a result, interest in Tyrolean life boomed, which quickly helped the Tyrolean national singers to achieve great fame.
At that time, the trend arose that Zillertal mountain farmers traveled across Europe during the winter months, as they were unemployed due to snow-covered alpine pastures. Initially, the farmers were traveling merchants to earn something in the winter. They mainly sold gloves. But at some point the stiff traders discovered that customers paid more attention to them when they sang Tyrolean folk songs.
Four-part singing, which was widespread in the Alpine region, conquered the world. In Europe, Tyrolean singers were invited to princely courts, where they performed for smaller audiences. After each performance they received letters of recommendation, which brought them further invitations to other bourgeois salons.
The first to go to America were most likely the Rainers from Fügen in the Zillertal in 1839.