Anton Raphael Mengs (1728–1779) was a pivotal painter of the 18th century whose disciplined style helped shape early Neoclassicism. Born in Bohemia and trained intensely by his father, he developed an exceptional command of drawing and idealized form. Mengs rose to prominence in Dresden, then refined his vision in Rome, where close study of antiquity and the High Renaissance pushed him toward clarity, balance, and elevated subject matter. His friendship with the art theorist Johann Joachim Winckelmann aligned his practice with Enlightenment ideals of “noble simplicity,” and Mengs became a leading voice for a return to classical principles in modern art. Sought after across Europe, he served major patrons and worked for the Spanish court under King Charles III, influencing academic standards and court taste in Madrid. Known as much for his theory as his technique, Mengs argued for structure, draftsmanship, and harmonious composition over decorative excess. He stands as a bridge between Rococo elegance and the more stringent classicism that followed, leaving a legacy of refined, intellectual painting and reform-minded ambition.