Josef Erler

Josef Erler (9 February 1804, Brixen - 31 March 1844, Innsbruck) was a landscape painter from the Austrian Empire.

Life and work
He received his first drawing lessons in Brixen from a local artist named Josef Tauber. With the help of some friends, he was able to enroll at the Academy of Fine Arts, Vienna, in 1825. He would study there intermittently for eleven years. During this time, he was awarded the Gundel-Prize for excellence (1827), and the Lampi-Prize for drawing from nature.

He returned to Brixen in 1836 and died while visiting Innsbruck, at the age of only forty.

He created history paintings, portraits and, above all, landscapes. His works have been largely forgotten, and are of interest mainly for their historical value. They include several views of Bozen, which may be seen at the Stadtmuseum Bozen, and altarpieces at the parish church in Sautens. His painting of the newly constructed Franzensfeste Fortress was acquired by Emperor Ferdinand I. Some of his works were presented as gifts to Vincenzo Tizzani, the Bishop of Terni.