Balthasar Neumann
Encyclopedia
Johann Balthasar Neumann , also known as Balthasar Neumann, was a [German] military artillery engineer and architect
who developed a refined brand of Baroque architecture
, fusing Austrian, Bohemian, Italian, and French elements to design some of the most impressive buildings of the period, including the Würzburg Residence
and the Basilica of the Fourteen Holy Helpers
.
The Würzburg Residence is considered one of the most beautiful and well proportioned palace in Europe and the Basilica of the Fourteen Holy Helpers is considered by some as the crowning work of the period.
Neumann was an architect of Saint Paulin Church
in Trier
, designing most of the internal elements. His final work is the Church of the Visitation of Mary, a masterpiece of the Baroque style located near Eltmann am Main
.
Neumann was born in house No. 12 on Schiffgasse street, Eger
, Kingdom of Bohemia
, now known as Cheb
, Czech Republic
, the seventh of nine children of cloth-maker Hans Christoph Neumann. He was baptized on January 30, 1687.
His first apprenticeship was spent working at the foundry
of his godfather Balthasar Platzer but he changed at the beginning of the 18th Century to Sebald Koch in Würzburg
where, in 1711, he received his Apprenticeship certificate. In 1712, he joined the Franconia
n artillery
as a private because this was the only path to follow for Neumann to have a military career as an engineer
. He perfected his skills through studies in the field of fortress architecture.
, or secular authority. In 1717 and 1718, he was with the Frankish
troops in Austria
and Hungary
where he worked as an engineer in their Belgrade
detachment.
In Vienna
he became acquainted with the baroque buildings of Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach
and Johann Lucas von Hildebrandt, training himself in their style. On a trip to Milan
he encountered the works of Guarino Guarini which wonder inspire Neumann's future projects.
In 1715, Neumann had already emerged as a rising talent and based on a letter of recommendation from his uncle, the Elector of Mainz
Lothar Franz von Schönborn
the Prince-Bishop
of Würzburg, Johann Philipp von Schönborn
, welcomed him into his city. After a period of time under the direction of the Würzburg architect Andreas Müller
and Joseph Greising, now in 1719 as the newly appointed archbishop
of Mainz Johann Philipp von Schönborn appointed Neumann the chief engineer in Würzburg. Neumann took this position in 1720 after all the planning for the construction of the Würzburg Residence
.
He died in Würzburg, Germany.
in his frescoes for the Residence, in pseudo-military uniform, leaning over a cannon. He had boasted that the ceiling was so well constructed that not even the roar of cannon would make the roof fall.
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
who developed a refined brand of Baroque architecture
Baroque architecture
Baroque architecture is a term used to describe the building style of the Baroque era, begun in late sixteenth century Italy, that took the Roman vocabulary of Renaissance architecture and used it in a new rhetorical and theatrical fashion, often to express the triumph of the Catholic Church and...
, fusing Austrian, Bohemian, Italian, and French elements to design some of the most impressive buildings of the period, including the Würzburg Residence
Würzburg Residence
The Würzburg Residence is a palace in Würzburg, southern Germany. Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt and Maximilian von Welsch, representants of the Austrian/South German Baroque were involved in the construction, as well as Robert de Cotte and Germain Boffrand, who were followers of the French Style...
and the Basilica of the Fourteen Holy Helpers
Basilica of the Fourteen Holy Helpers
The Basilica of the Fourteen Holy Helpers is a church located near the town of Bad Staffelstein near Bamberg, in Bavaria, southern Germany. The late Baroque-Rococo basilica, designed by Balthasar Neumann, was constructed between 1743 and 1772...
.
The Würzburg Residence is considered one of the most beautiful and well proportioned palace in Europe and the Basilica of the Fourteen Holy Helpers is considered by some as the crowning work of the period.
Neumann was an architect of Saint Paulin Church
Saint Paulin Church
Saint Paulin Church is a Baroque church in the city of Trier, Germany. Constructed between 1734 and 1753, the interior was designed by Johann Balthasar Neumann. The ceiling of the nave features a painting by the artist Christoph Thomas Scheffler...
in Trier
Trier
Trier, historically called in English Treves is a city in Germany on the banks of the Moselle. It is the oldest city in Germany, founded in or before 16 BC....
, designing most of the internal elements. His final work is the Church of the Visitation of Mary, a masterpiece of the Baroque style located near Eltmann am Main
Eltmann
Eltmann is a town of 5500 inhabitants Eltmann is a town of 5500 inhabitants Eltmann is a town of 5500 inhabitants (in the Haßberge district of Lower Franconia, in Bavaria, Germany. It lies on the south bank of the Main river, west of Bamberg. It comprises the town proper, and its outlying...
.
Early life
Cheb
Cheb is a city in the Karlovy Vary Region of the Czech Republic, with about 33,000 inhabitants. It is situated on the river Ohře , at the foot of one of the spurs of the Smrčiny and near the border with Germany...
, Kingdom of Bohemia
Kingdom of Bohemia
The Kingdom of Bohemia was a country located in the region of Bohemia in Central Europe, most of whose territory is currently located in the modern-day Czech Republic. The King was Elector of Holy Roman Empire until its dissolution in 1806, whereupon it became part of the Austrian Empire, and...
, now known as Cheb
Cheb
Cheb is a city in the Karlovy Vary Region of the Czech Republic, with about 33,000 inhabitants. It is situated on the river Ohře , at the foot of one of the spurs of the Smrčiny and near the border with Germany...
, Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
, the seventh of nine children of cloth-maker Hans Christoph Neumann. He was baptized on January 30, 1687.
His first apprenticeship was spent working at the foundry
Foundry
A foundry is a factory that produces metal castings. Metals are cast into shapes by melting them into a liquid, pouring the metal in a mold, and removing the mold material or casting after the metal has solidified as it cools. The most common metals processed are aluminum and cast iron...
of his godfather Balthasar Platzer but he changed at the beginning of the 18th Century to Sebald Koch in Würzburg
Würzburg
Würzburg is a city in the region of Franconia which lies in the northern tip of Bavaria, Germany. Located at the Main River, it is the capital of the Regierungsbezirk Lower Franconia. The regional dialect is Franconian....
where, in 1711, he received his Apprenticeship certificate. In 1712, he joined the Franconia
Franconia
Franconia is a region of Germany comprising the northern parts of the modern state of Bavaria, a small part of southern Thuringia, and a region in northeastern Baden-Württemberg called Tauberfranken...
n artillery
Artillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
as a private because this was the only path to follow for Neumann to have a military career as an engineer
Engineer
An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
. He perfected his skills through studies in the field of fortress architecture.
Würzburg
In 1714 Neumann entered into the service of the Würzburg HochstiftHochstift
In the Holy Roman Empire the German term Hochstift was often used to denote the form of secular authority held by bishops ruling a prince-bishopric....
, or secular authority. In 1717 and 1718, he was with the Frankish
Frankish Empire
Francia or Frankia, later also called the Frankish Empire , Frankish Kingdom , Frankish Realm or occasionally Frankland, was the territory inhabited and ruled by the Franks from the 3rd to the 10th century...
troops in Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
and Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
where he worked as an engineer in their Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
detachment.
In Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
he became acquainted with the baroque buildings of Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach
Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach
----Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach, born Johann Bernhard Fischer was probably the most influential Austrian architect of the Baroque period....
and Johann Lucas von Hildebrandt, training himself in their style. On a trip to Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
he encountered the works of Guarino Guarini which wonder inspire Neumann's future projects.
In 1715, Neumann had already emerged as a rising talent and based on a letter of recommendation from his uncle, the Elector of Mainz
Mainz
Mainz under the Holy Roman Empire, and previously was a Roman fort city which commanded the west bank of the Rhine and formed part of the northernmost frontier of the Roman Empire...
Lothar Franz von Schönborn
Lothar Franz von Schönborn
Lothar Franz von Schönborn was the Archbishop-Elector of Mainz from 1694 until 1729, and the Bishop of Bamberg from 1693 until 1729.Lothar Franz was born in Steinheim am Main in 1655 to Count Philip Erwin of Schönborn...
the Prince-Bishop
Prince-Bishop
A Prince-Bishop is a bishop who is a territorial Prince of the Church on account of one or more secular principalities, usually pre-existent titles of nobility held concurrently with their inherent clerical office...
of Würzburg, Johann Philipp von Schönborn
Johann Philipp von Schönborn
Johann Philipp von Schönborn was the Archbishop-Elector of Mainz from 1647 until 1673, the Bishop of Würzburg from 1642 until 1673, and the Bishop of Worms from 1663 until 1673....
, welcomed him into his city. After a period of time under the direction of the Würzburg architect Andreas Müller
Andreas Müller
Andreas Müller is a former German footballer, who played mainly as a defensive midfielder.-Football career:...
and Joseph Greising, now in 1719 as the newly appointed archbishop
Archbishopric of Mainz
The Archbishopric of Mainz or Electorate of Mainz was an influential ecclesiastic and secular prince-bishopric in the Holy Roman Empire between 780–82 and 1802. In the Roman Catholic Church hierarchy, the Archbishop of Mainz was the primas Germaniae, the substitute of the Pope north of the Alps...
of Mainz Johann Philipp von Schönborn appointed Neumann the chief engineer in Würzburg. Neumann took this position in 1720 after all the planning for the construction of the Würzburg Residence
Würzburg Residence
The Würzburg Residence is a palace in Würzburg, southern Germany. Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt and Maximilian von Welsch, representants of the Austrian/South German Baroque were involved in the construction, as well as Robert de Cotte and Germain Boffrand, who were followers of the French Style...
.
He died in Würzburg, Germany.
Legacy
A picture of him could be seen on the former 50-DM note together with the famous staircase located in the Residence of Würzburg. Neumann was also depicted by TiepoloGiovanni Battista Tiepolo
Giovanni Battista Tiepolo , also known as Gianbattista or Giambattista Tiepolo, was an Italian painter and printmaker from the Republic of Venice...
in his frescoes for the Residence, in pseudo-military uniform, leaning over a cannon. He had boasted that the ceiling was so well constructed that not even the roar of cannon would make the roof fall.
Literature
- Manuel Weinberger: "Verschollen geglaubtes Planmaterial von Balthasar Neumann und seinem Baubüro, und eine unbekannte Zeichnung aus dem Umfeld Johann Dientzenhofers", in: RIHA Journal 0003 [14 April 2010], http://www.riha-journal.org/articles/2010/weinberger-planmaterial-balthasar-neumann (accessed 15 April 2010).
External links
- Johann Balthasar Neumann featured on the 50 Deutsche Mark banknote from 1991.
- Encyclopedia of World Biography
- Johann Balthasar Neumann - Catholic EncyclopediaCatholic EncyclopediaThe Catholic Encyclopedia, also referred to as the Old Catholic Encyclopedia and the Original Catholic Encyclopedia, is an English-language encyclopedia published in the United States. The first volume appeared in March 1907 and the last three volumes appeared in 1912, followed by a master index...
article