(1655 - 1724)
David von Krafft was of German birth. During and after the 30 Years' War, many German painters, suffering with an impoverished clientele, chose to emigrate. In 1675 Krafft’s uncle, German painter David Klöcker Ehrenstrahl (1628-1698), brought him to Sweden as a pupil. Krafft became a court painter in 1698 and rose to be a leading portraitist in Sweden. His pupils included Swedish portraitist Hans Hysing (1678-1752/3). Krafft remained in Sweden, suffering the hardships of war during and immediately after the reign of Charles XII.
