Johann Baptist Höchle was born as the son of the butcher Johann Leonz and Maria Magdalena nee Schleininger. He received his first drawing and painting lessons from Johann Morath, the court painter to the Prince Abbot of St. Blasien. He then continued his education with Josef Hartmann in Augsburg. In 1780 he moved to Munich. Here he gained such a reputation as a history painter that the Elector Karl Theodor appointed him court painter.