Lüftlmalerei on house facades in Oberammergau, Bavaria, Germany

Lüftelmalerei describes the art form of facade painting that is native to southern German and Austrian small towns and rural areas, especially in Upper Bavaria and in Tyrol. The origin of the name is debated, but it probably comes from the home of the facade painter Franz Seraph Zwinck (1748–1792) from Oberammergau, Zum Lüftl.

This is a popular variant of the trompe-l’œil (mock painting) from the baroque era and imitates architectural elements. They extend from the patron saints of houses to biblical representations to the classic motifs of peasant paintings from hunting and everyday rural life. Banners with slogans and sundial are also common.

The paintings are applied to the fresh lime plaster whereby a chemical reaction bonds them together using a fresco technique. Other weatherproof painting materials are also used today.

Below you can see some of the houses in Oberammergau. You an also see them on a map here: Lüftlmalerei in Oberammergau, Bavaria, Germany.

Anton has some nice images from Germany, Austria, and Czechia: Lüftlmalereien in Bayern, Österreich und Tschechien