Josef Lex (El buen soldado Švejk)
Graz, Styria (state of Austria), Katharinenkirche/Mausoleum, la chiesa alla S. Caterina d'Alessandria, la iglesia a la Catalina de Alejandría, l'église à la Catherine d'Alexandrie, the church of the S. Catherine of Alexandria Graz (Burggasse)
(further information and pictures you can see quite easily by clicking on the link at the end of page!
Mausoleum
© Photo bruart
Mausoleum Graz with Domherrenhaus - bruart Photo
The Mausoleum of Emperor Ferdinand II
Among the three in Styria from the age of the Counter Reformation originating mausoleums, the chronologically last emerged Grazer Mausoleum occupies a transregional position: It is a building with a European dimension. Ferdinand II entrusted 1614 his from Lodi, near Milan, coming Court artist Giovanni Pietro de Pomis (1569-1633) with the design and execution of this monumental grave construction, which was completed in 1636.
The Mausoleum - consisting of the symbol associated form of a cross of St. Catherine's Church and the oval tomb (symbol of the resurrection) - shows the ecclesiastical and dynastic representation intentions of the client: the patronage of St. Catherine of Alexandria does not only refer to a medieval predecessor building, but also stands in the context of the by Archduke Charles II, the father of Ferdinand II, in 1585 founded and run by the Jesuit Order University, which also stood under the patronage of the female martyr, the patron saint of Sciences. The dynastic intentions are recognizable at the symbolic crownings of the domes - scepter and imperial eagle with imperial sword and orb. The sandstone statues on the west façade - the by two angels flanked saint Catherine and two of the Holy to Christianity converted people - and the painted copper plates in the niches with the scenes from the life of St. Catherine form additionally not only a to the titular saint of the Church and patron of the university related program, but also show in the two to Catholic faith converted figures Porphyry and Faustina a Counter-Reformation aspect.
The completion of the interior was only in 1687 by the glorious victor over the Turks Emperor Leopold I initiated. He extended in the same time the originally related to his grandfather Ferdinand II equipment program by a glorification of the house of Austria and an apothesosis directed to his person.
The designs for the remarkable stucco decorations and for the altar of Catherine delivered the 1687 in Graz born Imperial court painter Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach. The stucco work was carried out 1688/89 by Josef Serenio, Girolamo Rossi and Antonio Quadrio. The at the same emerged nave frescoes with the Apotheosis of the Habsburg dynasty were probably painted by Franz Steinpichler. At the center of these frescoes is the then most topical relief battle of Vienna (1683) shown. The sculptures of St. Catherine's altar carved Marx Schokotnigg (1697/99); from the same artist stem the angels of the Marian altar (1697/1701). The altarpiece depicting the Immaculate Virgin painted in 1699 Antonio Bellucci. Of the church furnishing is furthermore the "sacred grave" (1768/69) by Veit Koniger to emphasize, by its playing platform and the multi-figured ensemble counting to the most important "holy shrines" in Austria.
The frescoes in the chapel grave with representations of the virtues and deeds of the Catholic Emperor Ferdinand II and typological juxtapositions from the Old and the New Testament that refer to the resurrection and redemption of Christ, painted about 1689 Matthias Echter. He also established the fresco in the choir with the mystic marriage of St. Catherine. The niche figures of stucco - personifications of the virtues of "faith", "love", "hope" and "justice" - created around 1695/96 Marx Schokotnigg. The paintings "Saint Ignatius" by Franz Wagenschön (1766) and "Mary Immaculate" by Josef Tunner (1858 ) were formerly as altarpieces in use.
The stucco work of the tomb chamber manufactured around 1640 Mattia Camin (they were in 1694 renewed by Josef Serenio). The here represented substantial program shows the insignias and coats of arms of the countries and hereditary lands of Emperor Ferdinand II, symbols of death and last rites and painted scenes from the Old and the New Testament that refer to the resurrection.
The tombs of Emperor Ferdinand II (d. 1637) and of Archduchess Maria Anna of Bavaria (d. 1616), the first wife of Ferdinand II, are characterized by inscription panels. Also, here is a so-called Herzgrüftl (small heart tomb) with the hearts of Ferdinand II, his mother, Maria of Bavaria, his second wife Eleanor of Gonzaga and of other archducal family members.
The Rotmarmorsarkophag (red marble sarcophagus) in the crypt room with the three-dimensional recumbent figures of the parents of Ferdinand II, in which, however, only his mother is buried, stems from the ancient Grazer monastery of the Poor Clares and may have been manufactured about 1608 by Sebastian Carlone.
The Mausoleum of Ferdinand II is due to its complex architectural and iconological program a Hall of Fame of the Counter-Reformation. It identifies itself by its political-imperial statement as foundation building of the Imperial House of Austria. From the artistic point of view, it is also a main example of the manifestation of Roman art movements in the High Baroque in Styria.
Horst Schweigert
Graz, Styria (state of Austria), Katharinenkirche/Mausoleum, la chiesa alla S. Caterina d'Alessandria, la iglesia a la Catalina de Alejandría, l'église à la Catherine d'Alexandrie, the church of the S. Catherine of Alexandria Graz (Burggasse)
(further information and pictures you can see quite easily by clicking on the link at the end of page!
Mausoleum
© Photo bruart
Mausoleum Graz with Domherrenhaus - bruart Photo
The Mausoleum of Emperor Ferdinand II
Among the three in Styria from the age of the Counter Reformation originating mausoleums, the chronologically last emerged Grazer Mausoleum occupies a transregional position: It is a building with a European dimension. Ferdinand II entrusted 1614 his from Lodi, near Milan, coming Court artist Giovanni Pietro de Pomis (1569-1633) with the design and execution of this monumental grave construction, which was completed in 1636.
The Mausoleum - consisting of the symbol associated form of a cross of St. Catherine's Church and the oval tomb (symbol of the resurrection) - shows the ecclesiastical and dynastic representation intentions of the client: the patronage of St. Catherine of Alexandria does not only refer to a medieval predecessor building, but also stands in the context of the by Archduke Charles II, the father of Ferdinand II, in 1585 founded and run by the Jesuit Order University, which also stood under the patronage of the female martyr, the patron saint of Sciences. The dynastic intentions are recognizable at the symbolic crownings of the domes - scepter and imperial eagle with imperial sword and orb. The sandstone statues on the west façade - the by two angels flanked saint Catherine and two of the Holy to Christianity converted people - and the painted copper plates in the niches with the scenes from the life of St. Catherine form additionally not only a to the titular saint of the Church and patron of the university related program, but also show in the two to Catholic faith converted figures Porphyry and Faustina a Counter-Reformation aspect.
The completion of the interior was only in 1687 by the glorious victor over the Turks Emperor Leopold I initiated. He extended in the same time the originally related to his grandfather Ferdinand II equipment program by a glorification of the house of Austria and an apothesosis directed to his person.
The designs for the remarkable stucco decorations and for the altar of Catherine delivered the 1687 in Graz born Imperial court painter Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach. The stucco work was carried out 1688/89 by Josef Serenio, Girolamo Rossi and Antonio Quadrio. The at the same emerged nave frescoes with the Apotheosis of the Habsburg dynasty were probably painted by Franz Steinpichler. At the center of these frescoes is the then most topical relief battle of Vienna (1683) shown. The sculptures of St. Catherine's altar carved Marx Schokotnigg (1697/99); from the same artist stem the angels of the Marian altar (1697/1701). The altarpiece depicting the Immaculate Virgin painted in 1699 Antonio Bellucci. Of the church furnishing is furthermore the "sacred grave" (1768/69) by Veit Koniger to emphasize, by its playing platform and the multi-figured ensemble counting to the most important "holy shrines" in Austria.
The frescoes in the chapel grave with representations of the virtues and deeds of the Catholic Emperor Ferdinand II and typological juxtapositions from the Old and the New Testament that refer to the resurrection and redemption of Christ, painted about 1689 Matthias Echter. He also established the fresco in the choir with the mystic marriage of St. Catherine. The niche figures of stucco - personifications of the virtues of "faith", "love", "hope" and "justice" - created around 1695/96 Marx Schokotnigg. The paintings "Saint Ignatius" by Franz Wagenschön (1766) and "Mary Immaculate" by Josef Tunner (1858 ) were formerly as altarpieces in use.
The stucco work of the tomb chamber manufactured around 1640 Mattia Camin (they were in 1694 renewed by Josef Serenio). The here represented substantial program shows the insignias and coats of arms of the countries and hereditary lands of Emperor Ferdinand II, symbols of death and last rites and painted scenes from the Old and the New Testament that refer to the resurrection.
The tombs of Emperor Ferdinand II (d. 1637) and of Archduchess Maria Anna of Bavaria (d. 1616), the first wife of Ferdinand II, are characterized by inscription panels. Also, here is a so-called Herzgrüftl (small heart tomb) with the hearts of Ferdinand II, his mother, Maria of Bavaria, his second wife Eleanor of Gonzaga and of other archducal family members.
The Rotmarmorsarkophag (red marble sarcophagus) in the crypt room with the three-dimensional recumbent figures of the parents of Ferdinand II, in which, however, only his mother is buried, stems from the ancient Grazer monastery of the Poor Clares and may have been manufactured about 1608 by Sebastian Carlone.
The Mausoleum of Ferdinand II is due to its complex architectural and iconological program a Hall of Fame of the Counter-Reformation. It identifies itself by its political-imperial statement as foundation building of the Imperial House of Austria. From the artistic point of view, it is also a main example of the manifestation of Roman art movements in the High Baroque in Styria.
Horst Schweigert