Franz von Stuck (1863–1928) was a German painter, sculptor, printmaker, and architect known for his dark, theatrical Symbolism and role in co-founding the Munich Secession. Born in Tettenweis, Bavaria, he studied in Munich and gained early success with *The Guardian of Paradise* in 1889. His 1893 painting *The Sin* became one of the most iconic images of the Symbolist movement, earning him international acclaim and a professorship at the Munich Academy.
In 1897, he married Mary Lindpainter and designed Villa Stuck, a total work of art that fused painting, sculpture, architecture, and interior design. The villa won top honors at the 1900 Paris Exposition. He was ennobled in 1906, becoming "Ritter von Stuck," and went on to teach major modernists including Paul Klee and Wassily Kandinsky. Though his popularity declined after World War I, his influence persists through his students and his richly stylized mythological works. He died in Munich in 1928.
