FRIES, JOHANN. - Painter, b. ca. 1405 in Freiburg, d. perhaps in Bern in 1518. He is one of the greatest Swiss artists, and his painting, still entirely devoted to the expressive forms of late Gothic art, can be seen as the meeting point of new stylistic elements from northern Italy and Germany, with a predominance of the latter, especially in his earlier works.
In Switzerland, F. is particularly appreciated because in the backgrounds of his compositions there sometimes appear landscape elements that are likely inspired by reality, which is why he is considered one of the first interpreters of the local landscape. Among his works are two panels in the Schlessheim Gallery from a large Last Judgment painted for the Council Hall in Freiburg, in which city F. had worked in the church of S. Giovanni on an altarpiece with scenes from the life of the Saint. Other works by him are in the museums of Basel, Zurich, Nuremberg, etc.