Defregger's "Last available soldiers" (1874) is a prime example of painted historic scenes.

Franz von Defregger (1835 - 1921) was a native of Tyrol, a teacher at the art academy in Munich, and one of the founders of the Munich school of painters of historic scenes. His breakthrough came with "Last available soldiers", his monumental work glorifying the Tyrolean fight for freedom in 1809. As the professor and mentor of the young Bavarian artist Michael Zeno Diemer, Defregger ensured that the "Battle of Bergisel" conveyed the proper historical vision.