Location
Germany, Bavaria, Grafrath
pilgrimige church St Rasso (Wallfahrtskirche St. Rasso)
Catholic parish St John Grafrath
Artwork
High Altar of the Pilgrimage Church of St Rasso, Grafrath
Type
High altar
Dimensions
Height: 1436 cm, width: 724 cm
Inscriptions
- S.RASSO /DUX/BAVARIAE (above sarcophagus)
Critical History
The church in Grafrath belonged to the monastery of Dießen. Lippert listed under no 66 the high altar with the 2 sculptures representing St Philippus and St Jacobus and under no 67 the tabernacle with 2 angels and decorations. 1 It is a very peculiar situation that Straub had to follow the design drawing of Ignaz Günther. Both drawings are preserved in the collection of graphics in Munich. J. B. Straub (30493;H-M V,84), I. Günther (30695; H-M VI, 97).2 We have documents which report the conditions and the costs. 3 Volk dates the altar in 1759/60. In the archives the works are dated in 1765-68.The center of the altar is the sarcophague of St Rasso. You might say that the altar is a huge epitaph.
Construction / Execution
The construction of the altar is fixed to the wall of the church. Construction and sculptures are made by wood. The painting layer of the architecture imitates marble. The varnish of the 18th century was removed during former restorations. The sculpture with their white painting layer imitate stone/marble. Ornaments and details are gilded.
Components
- Carpentry
- Completed: 1759 – 1760
- Technique(s): sawing, wood carving
- Sculpture
- Author: Johann Baptist Straub (Wiesensteig ca. 1704 – Munich 1784)
- Completed: 1759 – 1760
- Technique(s): wood carving
- Polychromy
Comment
Above the scene were St Rasso is kneeling in front of Christ there are heads of puttos painted on the architecture of the altar.
Images
- The highaltar in the pilgrimagechurch St Rasso, Grafrath view to the high altar photo Bavarian State Department of Monuments and Sites Michael Forstner 10.2017
- The high altar in the pilgrimagechurch St Rasso, Grafrath photo Bavarian State Department of Monuments and Sites Michael Forstner 10.2017
Catalogue entry prepared by Rupert Karbacher
Recommended citation: Rupert Karbacher, High Altar of the Pilgrimage Church of St Rasso, Grafrath , in: TrArS – Tracing the Art of the Straub Family, 2018, (accessed 25/01/2026) URL
