Born 1718 in Grafenwörth near Krems, died 1801 in Stein an der Donau; called Kremser-Schmidt after the place of his birth. He studied first with his father Johann, who was a sculptor, then he continued his training as a painter and graphic artist in Vienna and probably also in Venice. He painted numerous altarpieces, historical and mythological scenes, portraits and frescoes. From 1745 onwards many of his paintings are signed and dated. His style is among the finest and most refined in the time of the late Rococo and indicates links between the cultures of the Danube and Venice, through the influence of Sebastiano Ricci, Gaspare Diziani and other Venetian artists. Martin Johann Schmidt also produced many etchings and drawings; these show that he had a thorough knowledge of the works of the great Dutch 17th century graphic artists, and also of the French graphic artists of the 18th century.
Lit.: Elfriede Baum: Katalog des Österreichischen Barockmuseums im Unteren Belvedere in Wien, II/2, Wien 1980, pp. 606-609; Rupert Feuchtmüller: Der Kremser Schmidt: 1718-1801, Innsbruck-Wien 1989.