Ferdinand Peter von Quiquerez was born in
Budapest in 1845. His father Ferdinand von Quiquerez was an Austrian military doctor of French origin, while his mother Maria was from a German-speaking family in Slovenia. After completing his education in
Zagreb, he spent a year in the Austrian military school before returning to Zagreb for university. He originally intended to pursue a career in law, but began to study painting with
József Ferenc Mücke (1819–1883), who soon redirected his interests. In 1870, a scholarship enabled him to attend the
Academy of Fine Arts, Munich where he studied under
Johann Leonhard Raab and
Karl von Piloty. Poor health, however, led him to transfer to the
Accademia di Belle Arti di Venezia where he continued his studies with
Pompeo Marino Molmenti. His patriotic inclinations led him to specialize in historical and folkloric works. In 1875, Quiquerez went to
Dalmatia, where he spent some time before traveling to
Montenegro, where he worked for
Prince Nicholas during the
campaign against the Ottomans. During the
Austro-Hungarian campaign in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1878 and 1879, Quiquerez composed several sketches and drawings of Austro-Hungarian troops led by general
Josip Filipović entering
Bosanski Brod. In
Marija Bistrica, Quiqerez painted 22 frescoes along the arcades of the newly built church which depicted miracles granted by the Blessed Virgin Mary. He also composed drawings of the former monastery in
Lepoglava before the great earthquake of 1880 caused significant damage. In 1883 he married Gizela Hadrović (1863–1914) and six years later they had a son, Branimir, who would eventually become a professor in
Slavonski Brod. Branimir's son
Velibor Kikerec (1925–2006) would serve as a
Partisan in
World War II and then assistant Minister of Defense during the
Croatian War of Independence. His last years were marked by ill health, according to longtime friend Izidor Kršnjavi, who visited him two days before his death. Quiquerez died in Zagreb in 1893, and is buried in
Mirogoj Cemetery. ==Gallery==