Nikolaus Baur was born in November 1816 in Trier, the oldest city in Germany, located on the banks of the Moselle. He completed his artistic studies at the Academy of Düsseldorf. In 1849, Baur moved to Munich, where he worked until 1858, completing religious compositions for many Munich churches. In addition to his frescos and religious compositions, Baur is known for his mythological and historical scenes and portraits.