Location
Germany, Bavaria, Dießen
Parish (former Monastery) church of the Assumption of Mary (Ehem. Kloster- und heutige Pfarrkirche Mariae Himmelfahrt)
Catholic parish assumption of Mary, Dießen
Artwork
The organ and its balustrade in the Parish (former monastery) church Assumption of Mary, Dießen
Type
Organ case
Inscriptions
- SAECLANOVEMSENVIDIIFAXINTVIVEREPLVRA (balustrade)
Critical History
The monastery church of the Assumption of Mary (Augustiner Chorherren) was built by Johann Michael Fischer from 1732 to 1739.1 It is equipped with 11 altars: a huge main altar, 8 side altars and 2 altars in the entrance hall executed by different artists (Ehrgott Bendl, Joachim Dietrich, Egid Verhelst, Franz X. Schmädl). The tables of the sidealtars are all made in the same form and material (stone/marble). Only the upper structure has an more or less individual character. Always two parallel altars are created by the same artist. In Dießen we don´t have sketches of of the altar or pulpit of J. B. Straub. The construction was built by a joiner, the sculptures were carved by J. B. Straub or by his staff. In the list of the most important works by J. B. Straub that J. C. Lippert edited in 1772 Dießen has the number 53. 2 The prize for 2 sidealtars each for 1277 fl and 1 pulpit for 9000 fl is documented. 3. Straub also was responsible for the realisation of 2 tabernacles on the 2 sidealtars of Ehrgott Bernhard Bendl (1660-31.01.1738), the balustrade of the organ choir and the decoration for the organ. Straub worked for this church at least from 1738–1740.
Construction / Execution
All ornaments sculptures or reliefs are made by wood and have a monochrome paintinglayer with partial gildings.
Components
- Carpentry
- The organ and its balustrade in the former monastery and todays parishchurch M. Assumption, Dießen
- Completed: 1740
- Technique(s): sawing, wood carving
- Sculpture
- The organ and its balustrade in the former monastery and todays parishchurch M. Assumption, Dießen
- Author: Johann Baptist Straub (Wiesensteig ca. 1704 – Munich 1784)
- Completed: 1738 – 1740
- Technique(s): oil gilding, polished white, tempera, water gilding, wood carving
- Polychromy
- The organ and its balustrade in the former monastery and todays parishchurch M. Assumption, Dießen
- Technique(s): polished white, water gilding
- Material(s): gold leaf, lead white
Comment
The inscription SAECLANOVEMSENVI:DIIFAXINTVIVEREPLVRA on the front of the balustrade is a chronogramm that integrates the year 1740.
Since 1803 the monastery with the church belongs to the Bavarian state. The inside of the church was never completely repainted or restored. But there were several smaller works during 19th and 20th century. The marbeling of the altararchitecture seems to have its historical varnish one text mentions the restoration with schellack in 1936 its reference is unknown.4 The Stephansaltar and the pulpit will be examinated from October to November 2018.
Conservation-restoration
- 1930
Strategy: removing dirt
Treatment Description
Cleaning and removing dirt in the complete church by firm Wirsching Dießen. May be the dirty parts of the monochrome white painting layer was overpainted.
- 1936
Treatment Description
Restoration of several side altars and pulpit by K. Eixenberger, Munich. One reference mentions a partial overpainting of the lead white painting layer of the sculptures and a partial overpainting of the varnish on the marbling.
- 1955
Strategy: removing dirt
Treatment Description
Cleaning and removing dirt inside partly overpainting of the monochrome white painting layers.
- 1979
Treatment Description
Great restoration of the complete building and its equipment under supervision of the spezialised authorities. The equipment was treated under conservative aspects.
- 2010
Treatment Description
The complete wooden equipment was treated with nitrogen against wooden pest.
Images
- The organ in the parishchurch Assumption of Mary, Dießen photo Bavarian State Department of Monuments and Sites Michael Forstner 08.2017
- The organ in the parishchurch Assumption of Mary, Dießen photo Bavarian State Department of Monuments and Sites Michael Forstner 08.2017
- The organ in the parishchurch Assumption of Mary, Dießen photo Bavarian State Department of Monuments and Sites Michael Forstner 08.2017
- The organ in the parishchurch Assumption of Mary, Dießen photo Bavarian State Department of Monuments and Sites Michael Forstner 08.2017
- The organ in the parishchurch Assumption of Mary, Dießen photo Bavarian State Department of Monuments and Sites Michael Forstner 08.2017
- The organ in the parishchurch Assumption of Mary, Dießen photo Bavarian State Department of Monuments and Sites Michael Forstner 08.2017
Catalogue entry prepared by Rupert Karbacher
Recommended citation: Rupert Karbacher, The organ and its balustrade in the Parish (former monastery) church Assumption of Mary, Dießen , in: TrArS – Tracing the Art of the Straub Family, 2018, (accessed 26/10/2025) URL
