Born 1764 in Aschach in Upper Austria, died 1818 in Vienna. From 1783 onwards he studied at the Vienna Academy, where he followed Heinrich Füger’s advice and concentrated on the depiction of historical scenes. As early as 1794 he won a gold medal; later he made a name for himself as a portraitist. In 1795 he travelled in Poland with Count Adam Czartoryski, then, after a short sojourn in Vienna, he set off for Rome, where he remained from 1801 to 1807, living on a scholarship from the court which was extended several times. He painted his most important historical pieces in Rome. After his return to Vienna he devoted himself above all to portraits and altarpieces. Abel's characteristic Neoclassicist style shows parallels with contemporary European, in particular French painting. In his later period Abel also showed an understanding of the principles of the Brotherhood of Saint Luke (Lukasbund), which Friedrich Overbeck founded in Vienna in 1809.
Lit.: Hans Aurenhammer, Joseph Abel (1764-1818), Mitteilungen der Österreichischen Galerie, 10, Nr. 54, 1966, pp. 3-26, figg. 1-18; Heinrich Fuchs: Die österreichischen Maler des 19. Jahrhunderts, Vol. 1, Wien 1972, p. K 9, fig. on pp. 1-3; Rudolf Schmidt: Österreichisches Künstlerlexikon, Wien 1974, pp. 4-5.