The beautifully situated Murnau not only attracted many artists from outside, but also produced important artistic personalities of its own. Two sons of the town joined the Munich artist circle in the 19th century. One, Philipp Sporrer, a former trained sign painter, soon devoted himself to genre painting. He portrayed people in his works in a humorous way, just like his great role model and friend Carl Spitzweg. Clear parallels can be seen in the painting "Man in a Collapsing Bed" from 1880 to Spitzweg's "Poor Poet" from 1839. Philipp Sporrer wanted to reveal people's lovable weaknesses and quirks and, like his friend, liked to take on the position of a secret observer. The other Murnau artist is Johann Michael Wittmer II, son of a painter of the same name, who initially wanted to be a goldsmith. However, he broke off this training early and in 1820, at the age of just 18, began studying art at the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich. There he learned historical painting, in which ideal landscapes are created based on classical models. In 1828, thanks to a scholarship from the Bavarian King Ludwig I, he was able to move to Rome. There he joined the group of "German Romans", which also included artists such as Friedrich Overbeck and Joseph Anton Koch. In Rome, he married Koch's daughter Helena in 1833 and accompanied Crown Prince Maximilian to Greece and Asia Minor in the same year. In the painting "Rest at a Well" from 1866, he revisits this journey - he portrayed himself and his wife under a round arch made of stones. In his father-in-law's workshop, dealing with mythological themes became his specialty. In the painting "Aesop Telling Fables" from 1873, we see the famous Greek poet sitting on a fountain and pursuing his favorite pastime: telling fables. An illustrious group has gathered around him, listening spellbound to his words. Even the squirrels in the trees and the goats in front of the fountain seem to be listening with interest. The loose group of trees in the foreground on the right gives a clear view of the expanse of a classically composed, archaic landscape with a temple and a city blurred in the haze. On the left, a small caravan moves across a clearing.