Artworks Catalogue

Location

Austria, Styria, Graz

Portal of building Sporgasse 13 (Portal des Gebäudes Sporgasse 13)

Innere Stadt

Artwork

The half-relief of St Francis Xavier and the sculptures of two putti on the portal of Sporgasse 13, Graz

Type

Sculptural group

Critical History

The façade of the building Sporgasse 13 was rebuilt between 1765 and 1770 by Joseph Hueber.1 It is characterised by a basket-arch stone portal, which is crowned by an opulently rocaille-cartouche with the depiction of St. Francis Xavier’ death. The saint is lying on a bed, his eyes are closed, his arms crossed in front of the body. Especially remarkable is the incomparable abundance of detail, which is visible in the fall of the folds of his clothing and the bed sheets. The relief is flanked by two sitting putti: The left one leads the right hand to his mouth in a contemplative manner, the right one holds a book and a palm leaf.

Construction / Execution

The half-relief and the sculptures are made of carved sandstone.

Components

Sculpture

Author: Philipp Jakob Straub (Wiesensteig 1706 – Graz 1774)

Completed: 1765 – 1770

Technique(s): stone carving

Material(s): sandstone

Conservation-restoration

1958

Treatment Description

The rococo façade was restored in 1958.3

1982-83

Treatment Description

The left putto was missing, therefore it was supplemented by sculptor Josef Unterholzer in 1930 and replaced by copy of cast stone in 1982/3.2

Images

1. The basket-arch stone portal of Sporgasse 13, Graz (photo by Anja Lindbichler, 2018)
2. The half-relief of St Francis Xavier, detail, portal, Sporgasse 13, Graz (photo by Anja Lindbichler, 2018)
3. The sculpture of a putto (left), detail, portal, Sporgasse 13, Graz (photo by Anja Lindbichler, 2018)
4. The sculpture of a putto (right), detail, portal, Sporgasse 13, Graz (photo by Anja Lindbichler, 2018)