Artworks Catalogue

Location

Austria, Styria, Mureck

Parish church St Bartholomew (Pfarrkirche Hl Bartholomäus)

Artwork

The sculptures on the high altar of the parish church Mureck

Type

Sculptural group

Critical History

The high altar of the parish church in Mureck was built between 1770 and 1772.1 The high altarpiece is flanked by the sculptures of four male saints: Far left there is St Blaise, holding a long candle in his right, and a crozier in his left hand. Right beside there is St Peter with the two keys, followed by his counterpart St Paul (right beside the altarpiece). Far right, we see the statue of another bishop, who is commonly interpreted as St Martin, although an appropriate attribute is missing.2 According to Horst Schweigert, the sculptures are attributable to the artist late style, which began about 1760.3

The two angels on the entablature are sheer copies of the putti on the Rosary altar in Birkfeld (1768), although they show different gestures.4

Construction / Execution

The sculptures are made of carved wood.

Components

Sculpture

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

Completed: 1767

Technique(s): wood carving

Material(s): wood

Polychromy

Completed: 1767

Material(s): gold leaf, red bole, silver leaf

Comment

A very interesting fact is the striking similarity of the four saints to those of the high altar in the parish church St Erhard/Breitenau, although they are about 25 years younger!

Images

1. The high altar of the parish church in Mureck (photo by Diocesan Museum Graz, Karin Weninger, 2006)
2. St Blaise, parish church, Mureck (photo by Diocesanmuseum Graz, Karin Weninger, 2006)
3. St Peter, parish church, Mureck (photo by Diocesanmuseum Graz, Karin Weninger, 2006)
4. St Paul, parish church, Mureck (photo by Diocesanmuseum Graz, Karin Weninger, 2006)
5. St Martin, parish church, Mureck (photo by Diocesanmuseum Graz, Karin Weninger, 2006)
6. Angel on the entablature (right), parish church, Mureck (photo by Diocesanmuseum Graz, Karin Weninger, 2006)