Haidt (1700-1780) was the official painter for the Moravian Church, an eighteenth-century religious community that unlike many other Protestant groups did not reject the use of art in their church life. Over the years of his involvement with the Moravians in Germany, England, and Pennsylvania, Haidt painted many biblical, historical, and allegorical paintings, as well as hundreds of portraits; many of his works survive in collections around the world.

This is the first comprehensive biography of Haidt, based on extensive archival research in Germany and America. The book includes 101 color images; many of these have not been published previously.