Enrico was born to a Swiss father, who was a mercenary
Swiss guard for the Papacy, stationed in Bologna; Enrico himself rose to become a lieutenant in the force. His younger brother
Antonio Maria Haffner (born 1654) also became a painter. While it is sometimes said the Haffner brothers trained with
Domenico Maria Canuti, they practiced painting
quadratura, and seem to have learned more from
Baldassare Bianchi and
Giovanni Giacomo Monti, as well as the influence of
Agostino Mitelli. Enrico did travel with Canuti to Rome and painted in the church of
Santi Domenico e Sisto. Returning to Bologna, under the patronage of the Olivetan prior Taddeo Pepoli, Haffner also worked alongside Canuti at the convent of
San Michele in Bosco, including quadratura above the main altar of the church. Enrico also worked with
Marcantonio Franceschini in the church of
Corpus Domini and in the
Palazzo Marescotti. In November 1661, he worked for the duke of
Modena for one year, where he was paid a stipend of 130 lire per month. Again in 1696, he worked with Franceschini and
Luigi Quaini in completing frescoes for the main hall of the
Ducal Palace of Modena. Haffner worked with
Giovanni Antonio Burrini in
Santi Giovanni Battista dei Celestini. Enrico worked with
Giovanni Gioseffo dal Sole in the Palazzo Bianconcini. Enrico also painted in
Savona in the church of Spirito Santo, in the palazzo Gavoti, and in the Balbi Chapel. ==References==