[2] Franz also displayed an early talent for drawing and woodcarving, which he developed autodidactically while working on his father's farm.

[2] Stoltz soon recognized Defregger's greater talent as a painter, and in the autumn of 1860, he arranged a meeting with Karl von Piloty at the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich.

[1] In the summer of 1863, with the encouragement of architect Dominik Stadler, Defregger travelled to Paris to enhance his studies at the academy.

[6] During his time in Paris, Defregger's work was influenced by his experiences in the city and through autodidactic study at museums, art collections, and studios.

After spending two years in Paris, Defregger returned to Munich in July 1865 and began studying under Piloty at the academy.

His students included the Gröden artists Josef Moroder Lusenberg and Hans Perathoner, Lovis Corinth, Robert Koehler, Walter Thor, Hugo Engl, Emma von Müller and many others.

Defregger also worked alongside other artists in the studio, especially Rudolf Epp, developing a style consistent with the Munich school.