Artworks Catalogue

Location

Croatia, City of Zagreb, Brezovica

Parish Church of the Assumption of Blessed Virgin Mary (Župna crkva Uznesenja Blažene Djevice Marije)

Artwork

Pulpit in the Parish Church of the Assumption of Blessed Virgin Mary in Brezovica

Type

Pulpit

Dimensions

Height: 530 cm, width: 140 cm, depth: 128 cm

Critical History

The pulpit was first mentioned in the text of the canonical visitation of 1768. 1 It was probably donated by the patrons of the parish church and the owners of the nearby castle, the noble family Drašković, given by the crown above the cartouche.2

Doris Baričević attributed the pulpit and its sculptures to Franz Anton Straub on the basis of stylistic similarities with his other attributed works.3

Construction / Execution

The pulpit is situated on the left side of the nave, and it is accessed via stairs from the sacristy. Unlike the pulpits in Marija Gorica and Kutina, it is more modest and conservative in design. The canopy is crowned with a central sculpture of Saint John the Baptist standing on a pedestal of large volutes and accompanied by putti carrying the symbols of Faith, Love and Hope.4 On the bottom of the canopy there was a sculpture of the Dove of the Holy Spirit, which, however, is no longer preserved. A small putto in the pose of an atlant and surrounded with rocaille formations supports the base of the pulpit. The central panel of the body of the pulpit is embellished with many rocaille ornaments that also form an IHS monogram, as opposed to the side panels which are only flanked with ornamental volutes. Between the canopy and the body of the pulpit there is a rear panel, which also functions as a doorway, decorated with the symbols of the Passion of Christ (Arma Christi) and framed with ornamental rocaille motifs. The rosette dates from the early 19^th century.5

Components

Carpentry

Author: Franz Anton Straub (Wiesensteig 1726 – Zagreb ca. 1774)

Completed: 1768 –

Technique(s): sawing, wood carving

Sculpture

Author: Franz Anton Straub (Wiesensteig 1726 – Zagreb ca. 1774)

Completed: 1768 –

Technique(s): wood carving

Polychromy

Completed: 1768 –

Polychromy

First repolychromy

Completed: ca. 1971

Polychromy

Second repolychromy

Author: Franjo Mrnjec

Completed: 1998

Comment

In 1971 Doris Baričević mentioned a recent polychromy and inscription,6 but even these are no longer visible, due to the restoration from 1998. The pulpit was, just like the high altar, repolychromed by Franjo Mrnjec in 1998. The atlant-putti was repainted black even later, in 2017.

Images

1. The pulpit in Brezovica (Croatian Conservation Institute Photo Archive, photo by Goran Tomljenović, 2018)
2. The pulpit in Brezovica, detail (Croatian Conservation Institute Photo Archive, photo by Goran Tomljenović, 2018)
3. The pulpit in Brezovica, detail (Croatian Conservation Institute Photo Archive, photo by Goran Tomljenović, 2018)
4. Brezovica, Parish church of the Assumption of Mary, pulpit (Photo by Schneider's Photo Archive, Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts, 1930s, SFA-1228)