Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach
Encyclopedia
Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach, also Fischer von Erlach the younger (13 September 1693 in Vienna
; 29 June 1742 in Vienna
) was an Austria
n
architect
of the baroque
, Rococo
and baroque classicism.
. He continued some projects of his father, in particular, the Karlskirche
in Vienna
, the Hofbibliothek (Imperial Library), and the Winterreitschultrakt (Winter Riding School) of the Hofburg. However, after his father, he also worked on many palaces, castles, and churches, as well as numerous monument
s, gardens, tomb
s, and altar
s (see "Works" below).
He first developed his skills in his father's Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach
workshop. In 1711, he worked on several of his father's commissions (e.g. Palais Dietrichstein
, Trautson Palace, Böhmi Hofkanzlei, Schwarzenberg Palace) and also helped complete the publication "Draft of a historical architecture"; whose four volumes inspired many later designs. Through this work, Joseph Emanuel came into contact both with the architecture of his and earlier times and with Berne, his father's noble order.
His father also involved Joseph Emanuel in the writing of "Folders and Outlines of some buildings of Vienna, self-drawn from J.E.F.v.E.," with a preface by the court antiquarian
Carl Gustav Heraeus. This publication was resumed later by Salomon Kleiner.
Until 1714, he received instruction in Vienna from his father's guest Gottfried Leibniz
. The two obtained a travel scholarship for Joseph Emanuel from Kaiser
Karl VI. This led him in 1713/1714 to Italy
, where he accompanied, among others, the well-known archaeologist Francesco de Ficoroni.
From 1717-1719, he was in France
with the French court master-builder Robert de Cotte
, the architect Germain Boffrand
, and with the philologist Bernard de Montfaucon
. He also spent time in Leyden and London
, where he studied the re-invented Steam engine
s and possibly also met Isaac Newton
.
In 1722 he returned to Vienna. He sought and obtained (in December 1722) a court architect position where he also exercised his considerable technical abilities, building the first steam engine in continental Europe (at Schwarzenberg Palace) during the same year. After the death of his father 1723, Johann Lucas von Hildebrandt succeeded to the position of chief Court Architect. In 1725, Joseph Emanuel, succeeded in turn to this position, probably with the help of his powerful sponsor, Court Building director, count Gundaker von Althan, completing his father's unfinished projects. Though a successful architect in his own right, he was overshadowed by his more famous father.
In 1727, he had married Maria Anna von Dietrich, with whom he had 7 children. He lived in the Gerstenbrandische Haus (Gerstenbrandi house) with the Kärntner gate. He had an important art collection and extensive library. His wife died in 1740.
In 1729, Joseph Emanuel was appointed Imperial Court Chamber Advisor and dedicated himself increasingly to building steam engines for mine excavation. For this work he was made a Baron
in 1735.
He continued some projects of his father, in particular the Karlskirche
in Vienna,
the Hofbibliothek (Imperial Library), and the Winterreitschultrakt of the Hofburg. He was involved with the planning of the Traktes of the Hofburg for Michaelerplatz, which only in the years of Ferdinand Kirschner (with easy changes) was built only much later (1889-1893) and with some modifications, since the Hofburg theatre stood in the way. On the same plans, he based also Königliche library in Berlin, which from 1775 to 1780 was built by George Christian Unger. In 1728, he replaced Johann Lucas von Hildebrandt with the building the Reichskanzleitraktes of the Hofburg. Otherwise, few own works are secured - in addition, this has to do with unclear documents. Added to this are 1847 the Althan palace in Vienna on Landstrasse, Corps de logis
Eckartsau
Castle, and Thürnthal Castle at Fels am Wagram
.
Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach died on June 29, 1742 in a house fire. He left an enormous fortune of 130,000 fl
.
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...
; 29 June 1742 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...
) was an 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
architect
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...
of the baroque
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...
, Rococo
Rococo
Rococo , also referred to as "Late Baroque", is an 18th-century style which developed as Baroque artists gave up their symmetry and became increasingly ornate, florid, and playful...
and baroque classicism.
Life and career
He was the son of Johann Bernhard Fischer von ErlachJohann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach
----Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach, born Johann Bernhard Fischer was probably the most influential Austrian architect of the Baroque period....
. He continued some projects of his father, in particular, the Karlskirche
Karlskirche
The St. Charles's Church is a church situated on the south side of Karlsplatz, Vienna. It is located on the edge of the 1st district, 200 metres outside the Ringstraße...
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...
, the Hofbibliothek (Imperial Library), and the Winterreitschultrakt (Winter Riding School) of the Hofburg. However, after his father, he also worked on many palaces, castles, and churches, as well as numerous monument
Monument
A monument is a type of structure either explicitly created to commemorate a person or important event or which has become important to a social group as a part of their remembrance of historic times or cultural heritage, or simply as an example of historic architecture...
s, gardens, tomb
Tomb
A tomb is a repository for the remains of the dead. It is generally any structurally enclosed interment space or burial chamber, of varying sizes...
s, and altar
Altar
An altar is any structure upon which offerings such as sacrifices are made for religious purposes. Altars are usually found at shrines, and they can be located in temples, churches and other places of worship...
s (see "Works" below).
He first developed his skills in his father's 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....
workshop. In 1711, he worked on several of his father's commissions (e.g. Palais Dietrichstein
Palais Lobkowitz
Palais Lobkowitz, or Palais Dietrichstein-Lobkowitz, is a Baroque palace in Vienna, Austria. It was owned by the noble Lobkowitz family.Today it houses the theatre museum of the Kunsthistorisches Museum.- History :...
, Trautson Palace, Böhmi Hofkanzlei, Schwarzenberg Palace) and also helped complete the publication "Draft of a historical architecture"; whose four volumes inspired many later designs. Through this work, Joseph Emanuel came into contact both with the architecture of his and earlier times and with Berne, his father's noble order.
His father also involved Joseph Emanuel in the writing of "Folders and Outlines of some buildings of Vienna, self-drawn from J.E.F.v.E.," with a preface by the court antiquarian
Antiquarian
An antiquarian or antiquary is an aficionado or student of antiquities or things of the past. More specifically, the term is used for those who study history with particular attention to ancient objects of art or science, archaeological and historic sites, or historic archives and manuscripts...
Carl Gustav Heraeus. This publication was resumed later by Salomon Kleiner.
Until 1714, he received instruction in Vienna from his father's guest Gottfried Leibniz
Gottfried Leibniz
Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz was a German philosopher and mathematician. He wrote in different languages, primarily in Latin , French and German ....
. The two obtained a travel scholarship for Joseph Emanuel from Kaiser
Kaiser
Kaiser is the German title meaning "Emperor", with Kaiserin being the female equivalent, "Empress". Like the Russian Czar it is directly derived from the Latin Emperors' title of Caesar, which in turn is derived from the personal name of a branch of the gens Julia, to which Gaius Julius Caesar,...
Karl VI. This led him in 1713/1714 to Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, where he accompanied, among others, the well-known archaeologist Francesco de Ficoroni.
From 1717-1719, he was in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
with the French court master-builder Robert de Cotte
Robert de Cotte
Robert de Cotte was a French architect-administrator, under whose design control of the royal buildings of France from 1699, the earliest notes presaging the Rococo style were introduced. First a pupil of Jules Hardouin-Mansart, he later became his brother-in-law and his collaborator...
, the architect Germain Boffrand
Germain Boffrand
Germain Boffrand was one of the most gifted French architects of his generation. A pupil of Jules Hardouin-Mansart, Germain Boffrand was one of the main creators of the precursor to Rococo called the style Régence, and in his interiors, of the Rococo itself...
, and with the philologist Bernard de Montfaucon
Bernard de Montfaucon
Bernard de Montfaucon was a French Benedictine monk, a scholar who founded a new discipline, palaeography; an editor of works of the Fathers of the Church; he is also regarded to be one of the founders of modern archaeology.-Early life:Montfaucon was born January 13, 1655 in the castle of...
. He also spent time in Leyden and London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, where he studied the re-invented Steam engine
Steam engine
A steam engine is a heat engine that performs mechanical work using steam as its working fluid.Steam engines are external combustion engines, where the working fluid is separate from the combustion products. Non-combustion heat sources such as solar power, nuclear power or geothermal energy may be...
s and possibly also met Isaac Newton
Isaac Newton
Sir Isaac Newton PRS was an English physicist, mathematician, astronomer, natural philosopher, alchemist, and theologian, who has been "considered by many to be the greatest and most influential scientist who ever lived."...
.
In 1722 he returned to Vienna. He sought and obtained (in December 1722) a court architect position where he also exercised his considerable technical abilities, building the first steam engine in continental Europe (at Schwarzenberg Palace) during the same year. After the death of his father 1723, Johann Lucas von Hildebrandt succeeded to the position of chief Court Architect. In 1725, Joseph Emanuel, succeeded in turn to this position, probably with the help of his powerful sponsor, Court Building director, count Gundaker von Althan, completing his father's unfinished projects. Though a successful architect in his own right, he was overshadowed by his more famous father.
In 1727, he had married Maria Anna von Dietrich, with whom he had 7 children. He lived in the Gerstenbrandische Haus (Gerstenbrandi house) with the Kärntner gate. He had an important art collection and extensive library. His wife died in 1740.
In 1729, Joseph Emanuel was appointed Imperial Court Chamber Advisor and dedicated himself increasingly to building steam engines for mine excavation. For this work he was made a Baron
Baron
Baron is a title of nobility. The word baron comes from Old French baron, itself from Old High German and Latin baro meaning " man, warrior"; it merged with cognate Old English beorn meaning "nobleman"...
in 1735.
He continued some projects of his father, in particular the Karlskirche
Karlskirche
The St. Charles's Church is a church situated on the south side of Karlsplatz, Vienna. It is located on the edge of the 1st district, 200 metres outside the Ringstraße...
in Vienna,
the Hofbibliothek (Imperial Library), and the Winterreitschultrakt of the Hofburg. He was involved with the planning of the Traktes of the Hofburg for Michaelerplatz, which only in the years of Ferdinand Kirschner (with easy changes) was built only much later (1889-1893) and with some modifications, since the Hofburg theatre stood in the way. On the same plans, he based also Königliche library in Berlin, which from 1775 to 1780 was built by George Christian Unger. In 1728, he replaced Johann Lucas von Hildebrandt with the building the Reichskanzleitraktes of the Hofburg. Otherwise, few own works are secured - in addition, this has to do with unclear documents. Added to this are 1847 the Althan palace in Vienna on Landstrasse, Corps de logis
Corps de logis
Corps de logis is the architectural term which refers to the principal block of a large, usually classical, mansion or palace. It contains the principal rooms, state apartments and an entry. The grandest and finest rooms are often on the first floor above the ground level: this floor is the...
Eckartsau
Eckartsau
Eckartsau is a town in the district of Gänserndorf in the Austrian state of Lower Austria.- Subdivisions :* Eckartsau* Kopfstetten* Pframa* Wagram an der Donau* Witzelsdorf- See also :* Schloss Eckartsau * Marchegger Ostbahn...
Castle, and Thürnthal Castle at Fels am Wagram
Fels am Wagram
Fels am Wagram is a municipality in the district of Tulln in Lower Austria, Austria....
.
Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach died on June 29, 1742 in a house fire. He left an enormous fortune of 130,000 fl
Austro-Hungarian gulden
The Gulden or forint was the currency of the Austrian Empire and later the Austro-Hungarian Empire between 1754 and 1892 when it was replaced by the Krone/korona as part of the introduction of the gold standard. In Austria, the Gulden was initially divided into 60 Kreuzer, and in Hungary, the...
.
Impact
Contrary to his father's approach, the son thought in terms of facades, which are however different from those of Hildebrandt and his numerous successors and a perfect example of Western Europeanbaroque classicism: simple, rational and without effusive ornamentation.Works
- Monumental Buildings:
- Plans to the Michaelertrakt in the Hofburg, 1726
- Execution of Kaiserlichen Court Library (Hofbibliothek) in Vienna
- Winter riding school
- Reichskanzleitrakt of the Hofburg (Court Castle continuation after Hildebrandt)
- Completion of Hofstallungen Court stable buildings (today: Museum accommodation), 1725
- Transformation of the Stift KlosterneuburgStift KlosterneuburgKlosterneuburg Priory is a Roman Catholic monastery of Augustinian Canons in the Lower Austrian town of Klosterneuburg on the Danube river, just north of the Vienna city limits at the Leopoldsberg....
(Klosterneuburg Monastery)
- Castles and Palaces:
- Schloss Eckartsau (Eckartsau Castle)
- Change of Schloss Thürnthal, 1725 (deutsch-link)
- Change of Schloss Kirchstetten (deutsch-link)
- Change of Schloss Joslowitz (JaroslaviceJaroslaviceJaroslavice is a village and municipality in Znojmo District in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic.The municipality covers an area of , and has a population of 1,267 ....
, Tschechien) (deutsch-link) - Change of Austerlitz Palace (Slavkov u Brna, Tschechien)
- Change of Schloss Seelowitz (Tschechien) (deutsch-link)
- Change of Schloss Frain (Vranov nad DyjíVranov nad DyjíVranov nad Dyjí is a market town in the Czech Republic with 888 inhabitants. It lies on the Dyje river in the South Moravia Region 3 km north of the Austrian border close to Hardegg and 22 km from the historical city of Znojmo.-History:...
, Tschechien) (deutsch-link) - Althan Palace (garden palace)
- Completion Schwarzenberg Palace (baroqueBaroqueThe 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...
garden palace), 1728 - Change of Lamberg Palace, 1730
- Change of Lobkowitz Palace (deutsch-link)
- Planning of the Ritterakademie palace (knight academy) in Liegnitz
- Planning of the Bánffy CastleBontida Bánffy CastleBánffy Castle is an architectonic Baroque monument situated in Bonţida, a village in the vicinity of Cluj-Napoca, Romania. It was owned by the Bánffy family...
castle in BonţidaBontidaBonțida is a commune in Cluj County, Romania. It is known as the home of a Baroque castle owned by the Bánffy family ; partly destroyed during World War II and neglected by the communist regime in Romania, it is currently being restored.The Bánffy family had another castle in Răscruci , which is...
- Sacred Buildings:
- Continuation of WienerViennaVienna 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...
KarlskircheKarlskircheThe St. Charles's Church is a church situated on the south side of Karlsplatz, Vienna. It is located on the edge of the 1st district, 200 metres outside the Ringstraße...
(Viennese Karl church) - Parish church in Grossweikersdorf
- Reestablishment of the church and the yard of the parsonage in ŠafovŠafovŠafov is a village and municipality in Znojmo District in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic.The municipality covers an area of , and has a population of 174 ....
(Tschechien), 1745
- Continuation of Wiener
- Other:
- Building Vermählungsbrunnen of Hoher Markt (high market) after plans of his father
- EhrentempelEhrentempelThe Ehrentempel were two structures in Munich, erected by the Nazis in 1935, housing the sacrophagi of the sixteen members of the party who had been killed in the failed Beer hall putsch...
Honour temples on Wiener GrabenGrabenIn geology, a graben is a depressed block of land bordered by parallel faults. Graben is German for ditch. Graben is used for both the singular and plural.... - numerous monuments, gardens, tombs and altars.