Xaver Schwegler was born in Lucerne and received his first artistic training at his father's studio. In 1851 he moved to Munich and studied works of the great masters in the Pinakothek as well as at the Academy's collection of antiques. He may have met the well-known Biedermeier artist Carl Spitzweg (1808-1885) during his stay.

Schwegler finally established himself as a landscape and genre painter in Lucerne and also engaged in lithographies. Schwegler improved his skills during a longer stay in Paris in 1858, where he took lessons in nude painting at the studio of Charles Gleyre (1806-1874) and also attended the École des Beaux-Arts.

Xaver Schwegler's works are characterized by fine details and the outstan...