Artworks Catalogue

Diagonal altar St Mary of the catholic parish church, former court-,knightsorder- and archbrotherhood church of St Michael in Munich, Berg-am-Laim
Diagonal altar St Mary of the catholic parish church, former court-,knightsorder- and archbrotherhood church of St Michael in Munich, Berg-am-Laim

Location

Germany, Bavaria, Munich

Catholic parish church St Michael in Munich, Berg am Laim (Kath. Pfarrkirche St. Michael in München, Berg am Laim)

Artwork

The diagonal altar (northeast) St Mary of the catholic parish church, former court-, knightsorder- and archbrotherhood church of St Michael in Munich, Berg am Laim

Type

Side altar

Dimensions

Height: 930 cm, width: 402 cm

Critical History

1743 contract with J. B. Straub on the four diagonal altars (610 fl.). On 1.5.1744 the altar of the Virgin Mary and the Nepomuk altar were erected in place of the large side altars. With the construction of the large side altars the altar of St. Mary and the Nepomukaltar were moved to their current locations. The result was the need for manual adjustments of very simple craftmansship. Painting of the altar architecture 1749 by Wolfgang Gartenschmidt. 1

Altarpiece of J. B. Zimmermann 1744 (150 fl.).

Diagonal altar (northeast) with altarpiece of Mary Immaculata accompanied by the statues of the apostles Peter and Andrew. Above a gloriole with 12 stars. All the side altars are connect by a complete apostles cycle.

Construction / Execution

Wood, largely gilded with impact metal in the last renovation 2005–2009.

Components

Carpentry
Diagonal altar St Mary of the catholic parish church, former court-,knightsorder- and archbrotherhood church of St. Michael in Munich, Berg-am-Laim
Completed: ca. 1743 – 1744
Patron(s): owner, monastery
Technique(s): sawing
Material(s): wood
Sculpture
Diagonal altar St Mary of the catholic parish church, former court-,knightsorder- and archbrotherhood church of St. Michael in Munich, Berg-am-Laim
Author: Johann Baptist Straub (Wiesensteig ca. 1704 – Munich 1784)
Completed: ca. 1743 – 1744
Patron(s): owner, monastery
Technique(s): wood carving
Material(s): wood
Polychromy
Diagonal altar St Mary of the catholic parish church, former court-,knightsorder- and archbrotherhood church of St. Michael in Munich, Berg-am-Laim
Author: Wolfgang Gartenschmidt
Completed: 1750 – 1750

Conservation-restoration

1980-82

Treatment Description

1980–1982 cleaning and partly new gilding by the company Mayerhofer, carpenter repairs.

2008/09

Treatment Description

State 2005: Under the marbling only fragments of the first version (matt gold) were preserved. According to the analysis it is brass as impact metal with a mixture of about 86% copper and 13% zinc. 2

Last restauration spring 2008 - september 2009 by company Erwin Wiegerling.The altar was largely gilded by impact metal/brass (predella and mensa) in the last renovation 2005–2009:

Transport of figurative equipment, preservation of the visible structure and reconstruction of the original gilding in impact metal, including the existing gilding at Predella and Mensa: securing, dry and damp cleaning, consolidation, sculptural additions, additions od gesso, retouching and gilding of defects.3

Images

  1. Diagonal altar St Mary of the catholic parish church, former court-,knightsorder- and archbrotherhood church of St Michael in Munich, Berg-am-Laim
  2. Diagonal altar St Mary of the catholic parish church, former court-,knightsorder- and archbrotherhood church of St Michael in Munich, Berg-am-Laim

Catalogue entry prepared by Martin Mannewitz

Recommended citation: Martin Mannewitz, The diagonal altar (northeast) St Mary of the catholic parish church, former court-, knightsorder- and archbrotherhood church of St Michael in Munich, Berg am Laim, in: TrArS – Tracing the Art of the Straub Family, 2018, (accessed 26/01/2026) URL

Sources and Bibliography

  1. Johann Caspar Lippert, Kurzgefaßte Nachricht von dem churbaierischen ersten Hofbildhauer Herrn Johannes Straub, in: Augsburgisches monatliches Kunstblatt. Kunstzeitung der kaiserlichen Akademie zu Augsburg, 1772, Nr. 54f
  2. Peter Volk, Johann Baptist Straub 1704–1784, München, Hirmer Verlag, 1984

Notes

1 Peter Volk, 1984, p. 199

2 Result of the analysis by REM / EDX by the Zentrallabor of the BLfD, June 2007

3 Final documentation of the restoration of the altars, pulpit and sculptures 2008 - 2009, Erwin Wiegerling, 2010, 2 folders with photo documentation, BLfD München