Hans Adam Weissenkircher
Encyclopedia
Hans Adam Weissenkircher (10 February 1646 – 16th January 1695) was an Austrian baroque
painter and court painter
of the Prince Johann Seyfried von Eggenberg in Graz.
n side of the Austria
n - German
border, into the family of a Salzburg
artist. Like his fellow Laufen born contemporary, Johann Michael Rottmayr
, he trained under the painter Johann Carl Loth
who was born in Munich
and ran an academy for German speaking painters in Venice
. Weissenkircher adopted much from Michelangelo Caravaggio's painting style. He traveled extensively during his studies, including to the important art and cultural centers of Rome
, Florence
and Bologna
. He finally settled in Styria
where he brought the style of the Italian Renaissance
north to the court of the Princes of Eggenberg
as court painter. He is responsible for numerous, well known works, most importantly the ceiling and wall paintings of the Planetary Room in Schloss Eggenberg which took 8 years from 1678 to 1685 to complete. Additionally, he was responsible for numerous paintings, altar paintings and high altars throughout Styria. He died in Graz
, Styria, Austria
.
Altar Paintings
High Altars
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
painter and court painter
Court painter
A court painter was an artist who painted for the members of a royal or noble family, sometimes on a fixed salary and on an exclusive basis where the artist was not supposed to undertake other work. Especially in the late Middle Ages, they were often given the office of valet de chambre...
of the Prince Johann Seyfried von Eggenberg in Graz.
Biography
Weissenkircher was born in Laufen an der Salzach, which today lies on the BavariaBavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
n side of the 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...
n - German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
border, into the family of a Salzburg
Salzburg
-Population development:In 1935, the population significantly increased when Salzburg absorbed adjacent municipalities. After World War II, numerous refugees found a new home in the city. New residential space was created for American soldiers of the postwar Occupation, and could be used for...
artist. Like his fellow Laufen born contemporary, Johann Michael Rottmayr
Johann Michael Rottmayr
Johann Michael Rottmayr , was an Austrian painter. He was the first notable baroque painter north of Italy....
, he trained under the painter Johann Carl Loth
Johann Carl Loth
Johann Carl Loth was a German Baroque painter, born in Munich but active most of his life in Venice.-Biography:He is also called Johann Karl, Karel, Carlotto, and Carlo Lotti. According to Houbraken he was one of three grand masters of art called "Karel" Johann Carl Loth (1632 – October 6, 1698)...
who was born in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
and ran an academy for German speaking painters in Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
. Weissenkircher adopted much from Michelangelo Caravaggio's painting style. He traveled extensively during his studies, including to the important art and cultural centers of Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
and Bologna
Bologna
Bologna is the capital city of Emilia-Romagna, in the Po Valley of Northern Italy. The city lies between the Po River and the Apennine Mountains, more specifically, between the Reno River and the Savena River. Bologna is a lively and cosmopolitan Italian college city, with spectacular history,...
. He finally settled in Styria
Duchy of Styria
The history of Styria concerns the region roughly corresponding to the modern Austrian state of Styria and the Slovene region of Styria from its settlement by Germans and Slavs in the Dark Ages until the present...
where he brought the style of the Italian Renaissance
Italian Renaissance
The Italian Renaissance began the opening phase of the Renaissance, a period of great cultural change and achievement in Europe that spanned the period from the end of the 13th century to about 1600, marking the transition between Medieval and Early Modern Europe...
north to the court of the Princes of Eggenberg
House of Eggenberg
Eggenberg is the name of an Austrian noble family from Styria whose last male heir died in 1717 bringing an end to the House of Eggenberg.- History :The origin of the Austrian noble house of Eggenberg is shrouded in darkness...
as court painter. He is responsible for numerous, well known works, most importantly the ceiling and wall paintings of the Planetary Room in Schloss Eggenberg which took 8 years from 1678 to 1685 to complete. Additionally, he was responsible for numerous paintings, altar paintings and high altars throughout Styria. He died in Graz
Graz
The more recent population figures do not give the whole picture as only people with principal residence status are counted and people with secondary residence status are not. Most of the people with secondary residence status in Graz are students...
, Styria, 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...
.
Selected Works
Paintings- Planetary Room in Schloss Eggenberg (Graz)Schloss Eggenberg (Graz)Eggenberg Palace in Graz is the most significant Baroque palace complex in Styria. With its preserved accouterments, the extensive scenic gardens as well as some additional collections from the Universalmuseum Joanneum housed in the palace and park, Schloss Eggenberg counts among the most valuable...
- Mary Immaculate in Graz Vierzehn-Nothelfer-Kirche
- St. Paul in Graz in the Joanneum’s Alte Galerie in Schloss EggenbergSchloss Eggenberg (Graz)Eggenberg Palace in Graz is the most significant Baroque palace complex in Styria. With its preserved accouterments, the extensive scenic gardens as well as some additional collections from the Universalmuseum Joanneum housed in the palace and park, Schloss Eggenberg counts among the most valuable...
Altar Paintings
- Mary Magdalene in the Pfarrkirche St. Magdalena (Wildon)
- Holy Trinity in the Graz Karlauerkirche
- The Annuciation in the Graz Grabenkirche
- The Circumcision of Christ in the Kirche St. Andrä (Graz)
- Altar painting in the Kirche Maria im Elend zu Straßgang
- Altar painting in the Mausoleum EhrenhausenRuprecht von EggenbergRuprecht von Eggenberg was an Austrian colonel-general from the Duchy of Styria in Inner Austria, part of the Holy Roman Empire. He was a member of the Eggenberger family and cousin to Prince Hans Ulrich von Eggenberg.-Military career:He chose a military career early on in his life...
High Altars
- Pfarrkirche St. Veit (Graz)
Literature
- Hans Adam Weissenkircher: Fürstlich Eggenbergischer Hofmaler. By Barbara Ruck. Graz: Landesmuseum Joanneum, 1985.
- Schloss Eggenberg. By Barbara Kaiser. Graz: Christian Brandstätter Verlag, 2006. ISBN 3-902510-80-3 (English Edition) or ISBN 3-902510-96-X (German Edition)