In December 1750, Tiepolo, accompanied by his sons Giandomenico and Lorenzo (1736-1776), arrived in Würzburg where, at the invitation of Prince-Bishop Carl Phillip von Greiffenclau, he was to fresco the large dining room - known as the Kaisersaal, or Imperial Hall - in the newly-built Residence of the Prince-Bishops designed by the architect Balthasar Neumann (1687-1753). The decorative programme of the Imperial Hall comprises the central ceiling fresco - an allegorical portrayal of the Genius Imperii, towards whom Apollo is conducting the Burgundian bride - and two historical scenes, The Marriage of the Emperor Frederick Barbarossa to Beatrice of Burgundy and The Investiture of Herold as Duke of Franconia by Emperor Frederick Barbarossa at the Imperial Diet in Würzburg in 1168, on either side of the room. Representations of mercenary footsoldiers and courtiers under the windows, monochrome allegorical scenes in the lunettes and supra porte paintings by Tiepolo's son Giandomenico complete the decoration of the room. Tiepolo had begun preparatory sketches as soon as he arrived in Würzburg; the ceiling fresco was then painted in the spring of 1751 and the two lateral wall frescoes were completed the following year.

The Prince-Bishop was so pleased with the finished decoration of the Imperial Hall that, in 1752, he also invited Tiepolo to fresco the ceiling of the stairwell. The splendid staircase is itself an architectural masterpiece by the designer Balthasar Neumann, and provides an artistic setting for the ceremonial path followed by the visitor from the entrance to the Residence up to the Imperial Hall on the first floor.

In April of that year, Tiepolo presented the Prince-Bishop with an oil sketch, now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The sketch outlines the basic essentials of the themes of the work, which would later be realized: the four known parts of the world (Europe, Asia, Africa and America) are arranged along the sides of the picture, with Apollo and the deities of Olympus at its centre, representing the sun rising over the world. Nevertheless, the realized version differs from the sketch in essential points, and shows to what extent the artist was prepared to adapt his design to suit the location and in accordance with the requirements of his patron. The Würzburg frescoes are considered the high point of Tiepolo's artistic career.

Preview	Picture Data	Info
	View of the Imperial Hall - Fresco Residenz, Würzburg
	The Marriage of the Emperor Frederick Barbarossa to Beatrice of Burgundy 1751 Fresco, 400 x 500 cm Imperial Hall of the Residenz, Würzburg
	The Investiture of Herold as Duke of Franconia 1751 Fresco, 400 x 500 cm Imperial Hall of the Residenz, Würzburg
	View of the stairwell - Fresco Residenz, Würzburg
	Stairwell seen from the gallery, looking south-east - Fresco Residenz, Würzburg
	Apollo and the Continents 1752-53 Fresco, 1900 x 3050 cm Stairwell of the Residenz, Würzburg
	Apollo and the Continents (detail) 1752-53 Fresco Stairwell of the Residenz, Würzburg
	Apollo and the Continents (America, left-hand side) 1752-53 Fresco Stairwell of the Residenz, Würzburg
	Apollo and the Continents (America, right-hand side) 1752-53 Fresco Stairwell of the Residenz, Würzburg
	Apollo and the Continents (Africa, left-hand side) 1752-53 Fresco Stairwell of the Residenz, Würzburg
	Apollo and the Continents (Africa, right-hand side) 1752-53 Fresco Stairwell of the Residenz, Würzburg
	Apollo and the Continents (Asia, obelisk group) 1752-53 Fresco Stairwell of the Residenz, Würzburg
	Apollo and the Continents (Asia, figure of Asia) 1752-53 Fresco Stairwell of the Residenz, Würzburg
	Apollo and the Continents (Europe, overall view) 1752-53 Fresco Stairwell of the Residenz, Würzburg
	Apollo and the Continents (detail) 1752-53 Fresco Stairwell of the Residenz, Würzburg