Location
Slovenia, Sladka gora
Pilgrimage and Parish Church of St Mary and St Margaret the Virgin (Romarska in župnijska cerkev sv. Marije in sv. Marjete na Sladki Gori)
Artwork
Sculptures of Putti on the Organ Case in the Pilgrimage and Parish Church of St Mary and St Margaret the Virgin in Sladka Gora
Type
Sculpture
Dimensions
Height: 520 cm, width: 280 cm, depth: 150 cm
Critical History
Sergej Vrišer attributed the sculptural decoration of the organ case (four putti) in the Pilgrimage and Parish Church of St Mary and St Margaret the Virgin in Sladka Gora to Joseph Straub.1 The organ was made by the organ master from Celje, Janez Frančišek Janeček.2
There are four putti on the sides of the organ case: the lower two play violins, while the upper two play trumpets. All the sculptures share significant similarities with Joseph Straub`s work: curly hair, round cheeks and big open eyes.
Construction / Execution
The organ case is made of wood. The polychromy of architecture imitate marble. The ornamentation, sculptures´ drapery and wings imitate gold.
Components
- Concept/design
- Organ
- Author: Joannes Franciscus Janechek (Poděbrady? ca. 1697 – Celje? 1778)
- Carpentry
- Carpentry
- Technique(s): wood carving
- Material(s): softwood
- Sculpture
- Sculpture
- Author: Joseph Straub (Wiesensteig 1712 – Maribor 1756)
- Technique(s): wood carving
- Material(s): limewood
- Polychromy
- Polychromy
- Technique(s): oil, water gilding
- Material(s): gold leaf, red bole, size
- Polychromy
- First repolychromy
- Technique(s): oil
- Material(s): oil, silver leaf, varnish
Comment
The wooden construction of the organ case is in good condition. The limewood is infested by wood-destroying insects. There are some losses of ornamental carving. The painted layer and gilding are abraded and scratched in several areas, especially in the lower area of the organ case. The organ case and sculptures were at least once overpainted and partially varnished. The ornamentation on the organ case was never removed during repolychromy and is still fixed with metal nails.
Images
- The organ case in the Pilgrimage and Parish Church of St Mary and St Margaret the Virgin in Sladka gora (Institute for the Protection of Cultural Heritage of Slovenia, photo by Valentin Benedik, 2018)
- The sculpture of a putto on the organ case in Sladka gora (Institute for the Protection of Cultural Heritage of Slovenia, photo by Valentin Benedik, 2018)
- The sculpture of a putto on the organ case in Sladka gora (Institute for the Protection of Cultural Heritage of Slovenia, photo by Valentin Benedik, 2018)
- The sculpture of King David (Institute for the Protection of Cultural Heritage of Slovenia, photo by Valentin Benedik, 2018)
Catalogue entry prepared by Valentina Pavlič and Saša Dolinšek
Recommended citation: Valentina Pavlič and Saša Dolinšek, Sculptures of Putti on the Organ Case in the Pilgrimage and Parish Church of St Mary and St Margaret the Virgin in Sladka Gora, in: TrArS – Tracing the Art of the Straub Family, 2018, (accessed 23/10/2025) URL
