Anton Niedermaier

Anton Niedermaier

Anton Niedermaier (* 1868 in Kemoding near Erding ; † January 23, 1932 ) was a German restorer and church painter who mainly designed ceiling paintings and some oil paintings with Christian content.

Life

Anton Niedermaier was born in Kemoding near Erding on October 31, 1867 as the fourth child of the farmer husband and wife Anton and Theresia Niedermaier. He did not spend his youth in Kemoding because his parents' farm burned down and his father died very early from appendicitis. The mother moved with her children to Munich on Erzgießereistraße. The boy attracted attention at school for his talent for drawing and was given an apprenticeship in a lithographic institute. On October 18, 1887, he became a student at the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich . There he was a student of Franz von Defregger and Franz von Stuck .

After Michael Zeno Diemer was commissioned to produce the giant circular painting in Innsbruck in 1896 , Niedermaier was involved in the execution of the work on the work alongside his teacher Franz von Defregger, Franz Burger , W. Flaucher and Arthur Pätzold (also Arthur Paetzold).

Niedermaier married Maria Eger in 1910. In 1911 the daughter Antonie (1911–1988) was born, in 1913 the son Hans (1913–2003) was born. The family lived in Hohenbrunn near Munich from 1912 . Niedermaier was friends with the composer Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari .

After completing his training, he first worked on restorations in various churches, including in Nuremberg. Through his acquaintance with a decorative painter, the opportunity arose for him to work as a freelance artist. He turned primarily to fresco painting in Bavarian churches, first in the Upper Palatinate, then also in Lower Bavaria and Upper Bavaria. His ceiling frescoes in the churches of Buchdorf, Kirchham, Unterroth, Rohrdorf, Brannenburg, Schöffau and Kottern near Kempten deserve special mention . In the end there were 55 smaller and larger churches, which he had decorated with frescoes, mostly based on his own designs. The easel paintings, especially stations of the cross and altarpieces, were created in the winter months. He died of a heart attack at the age of 65 . Afterwards, his employees completed the ceiling paintings in the parish church in Holzkirchen on their own.

His works have their peculiarity through their dark, earthy coloring, which the training with Defregger reveals. Niedermaier is one of the most productive and important church painters of the neo-baroque in Bavaria, who did not copy but were consistently creative. Although the Secco technique with casein paints was predominantly used in the neo-baroque style of the 20th century, Niedermaier is one of the artists who mostly painted using the fresco technique, but his works are less durable than light-colored frescoes due to his preference for darker pigments.

Ceiling and wall paintings

year	place	church	Frescoes (partly also in secco technique)
1907 approx.	Ebnath	St. Aegidius	Longhouse: Aegidius with Trinity and view of the town (renewed) / Katharina, Sebastian, Notburga, Wendelin.
1909/10	Fichtelberg	Annunciation	Choir: Christ and Evangelists. Nave: Annunciation, Nativity, Crucifixion / Apostle.
1911	Grafenwohr	Assumption Day	Frescoes in the nave: Nativity / Evangelists.
1911	Schambach (Riedenburg)	St. Mary	Choir: Annunciation. Nave: Visitation, Nativity (signed and dated 1911), Apostle medallions.
1912	Geilertshausen	St. Andrew	Longhouse: Andreas and Trinity / Elisabeth, Josef.
1912	Mendorf	St. Leodegar	Two frescoes in the nave: Nativity, Flight into Egypt.
1912	Mödingen	St. Othmar	Frescoes in the choir: Elijah's feeding in the desert.
1913	Endlhausen	St. Valentine	Choir: Valentin as a helper for the sick and needy. Nave: Birth and Resurrection of Christ, Pentecost miracle (and side frescoes).
1914	Fishing in the Allgäu	St. Verena	Fresco in the nave: Assumption of the Virgin.
1914	Prutting	Sacrifice of the Virgin	Choir: God the Father, Holy Spirit, Mary with child, saints and angels. Nave: Our Lady above a procession.
1915	Church Village	St. Ursula	Former frescoes in the choir (destroyed).
1916	Kirchham	St. Martin	Choir: Death and Glory Martins. Longhouse: Nativity, Annunciation to the Shepherds (with soldiers: First World War) / Evangelists. As well as on the gallery parapet.
1917	Mainberg Castle		Former ceiling and wall frescoes in the residence of the industrial family Sachs : ladies' room (medallions with putti), bedroom of Willy Sachs (the white stag appears to St. Hubertus).
1917	Höhenkirchen	Virgin Mary's birth	Former frescoes in the choir: Nativity, Coronation of Mary (baroque frescoes were uncovered in 1963).
1918	Großholzhausen	St. George	Former frescoes (baroque frescoes were uncovered in 1954).
1919	Mud village	St. Lucia	Frescoes in the nave: Assumption of Mary / Angels with symbols of the Lauretan litany.
1920	Brannenburg	Assumption Day	Choir: Temple Aisle of Mary. Longhouse: Assumption of the Virgin.
1920	Buchdorf	Ortisei	Frescoes in the choir: Nativity / Annunciation, Visitation, presentation in the temple, 12-year-old Jesus in the temple, putti carry Casa Santa. Most of the ceiling frescoes were redesigned by N., as the originals were considerably damaged by previous repairs.
1920	Niklasreuth	St. Nicholas	Choir: Christ as risen. Nave: Assumption of Mary, putti with Arma Christi, St. Cecilia. (Vine decoration removed in 1957.)
1920	Sonderheim	St. Peter and Paul	Frescoes on the gallery parapet: David with the Ark of the Covenant, veneration of the lamb, Corpus Christi procession. As well as restoration of the frescoes from 1756.
1920/23	Rotthalmünster	Wieskapelle	Fresco: Seekers of help.
1921	Berg near Donauwörth	St. Laurence	Frescoes in the nave: Assumption of Mary / Annunciation, Marriage of Mary, Pieta, death of Joseph. As well as on the gallery.
1921	Oberhaindlfing	St. Jacob	Frescoes in the nave: Glory of James major, death of Joseph, Lamentation of Christ / Saints, Adoration of the Lamb.
1921/22	Wolfersdorf	St. Peter	Fresco on the choir arch: Angels and saints in veneration of the Lamb.
1922	Mittergars	St. Michael	Fall of the angel, resurrection, more angelic scenes on the gallery parapet.
1922	Neuburg on the Danube	St. Wolfgang	Choir frescoes: Scene from the legend of Wolfgang / Works of Mercy.
1922	Unterroth	St. Gordian and Epimachus	Choir: Ecclesia in an allegorical scene. Longhouse: Altar sacrament (main scene with portraits) and other sacraments (also on the underside of the gallery).
1923	Hartkirchen (Dingolfing)	Assumption Day	Choir: Maria with putti and Lauretan. Symbols.
1923	Schöffau (Uffing am Staffelsee)	St. Anna	Choir: Adoration of the Shepherds. Nave: Assumption of Mary / Annunciation, Visitation, Presentation in the Temple, 12-year-old Jesus in the Temple.
1923	Anger thing	St. Martin	Assumption of Mary, putti, Mary over helpers in need, Cäcilia.
1923/24	Re-firing	Maria Immaculate	Frescoes in the nave: Madonna, Nikolaus and Johannes Bapt. as protector of the raftsmen / church fathers.
1924	Oberaudorf	Assumption Day	Restoration of the frescoes by Hans Kögl. Choir: Mary in front of the Trinity, saint and local view. Longhouse: Assumption of Mary / Marienleben.
1924	Rappoltskirchen	St. Stefan	Choir fresco: Stoning of Stefans.
1924-1928	Waldershof	St. Sebastian	Choir: Sacrifice of Melchizedech, angel appears to Job (?). Longhouse: three scenes from Sebastian. Side frescoes in the choir and Lhs .: 14 helpers in need.
1925	Oberwarmensteinach	St. Laurence	Frescoes in nave and choir: scenes of hll. Stefan and Laurentius, Christ sows and reaps; Annunciation; 6 saints.
1926	Antholing	St. Jacob	Dome fresco Transfiguration of Christ and secondary scenes.
1927	Pobenhausen	St. Quirin	Choir: Quirin von Neuss heals Balbina. Nave: Assumption of the Virgin Mary, Cäcilia (the previously poorly preserved images were restored in 2011).
1927	Rohrdorf am Inn	St. Jacob	Frescoes with scenes by James major: in the choir the sons of Zebedee with their mother before Christ; Battle of the Saracens on the choir arch with an allusion to the First World War, in the nave transfer of the body to Santiago.
1928	Oberornau	St. Andrew	Large wall fresco in the extension in front of the old nave: adoration of the cross.
1929	Haidlfing	St. Laurence	Three scenes by Laurentius.
1929	St. Mang - Kottern	Assumption Day	Choir: holy family. Nave: Assumption of the Virgin Mary, passages from the Bible on the Ten Commandments and procession (23 m long picture).
1930	Hausham	St. Anthony	Large fresco in the nave: Barbara as patroness of the miners above the town.
1930	Weinried	St. Laurence	Side frescoes (above, on and below the gallery): Scenes by Clemens Maria Hofbauer a. a.

Oil paintings

year	place	church	painting
1908	Kirch-Siebnach	St. George	Stations of the Cross.
1911	Sulzemoos	St. John Baptist	Stations of the Cross.
1911/12	Schambach (Riedenburg)	St. Mary	Side altar paintings 1911: Sebastian, Herz Jesu. Way of the Cross (14th station signed and dated 1912).
1914	Neunkirchen near Weiden	St. Dionysius	Stations of the Cross.
1914	Oberwinkling	St. Wolfgang	High altar picture: Nativity (to be seen alternately every six months).
1915	Kirchham (District of Passau)	St. Martin	Side altar paintings: Mary with child above town view, St. Isidore in prayer. As well as painting, Anna with Maria, 1916. Stations of the Cross 1926.
1916	Bad Griesbach in the Rottal	Holy Family	Stations of the Cross. Further crossroads for Schäfstall near Donauwörth 1917 and Waldershof / Fichtelgebirge.
1917	Gundelsdorf	Holy Cross	Side altar paintings: Mary with child and angels, Joseph with Jesus in the workshop.
1919	Hofstetten	St. Michael	Warrior memory image. Other paintings of this kind for the churches in N's residence Hohenbrunn, Brannenburg, Rohrdorf am Inn 1920, Tuntenhausen 1921, Flintsbach am Inn 1922.
1920/23	Rotthalmünster	Wieskapelle	Altarpiece: Christ comforts soldiers.
1924	Loppenhausen	St. Blaise and Johannes Bapt.	High altar pictures: sermon John the Baptist / God the Father. Side altar paintings: Rosary donation / Immaculata; Death of Josef / Josef with baby Jesus.
1925	Fichtelberg	Annunciation	High altar picture: Mary raised by angels.
1925	Unterroth	St. Gordian and Epimachus	Painting in the choir: Guardian Angel and four Saints.
1926	Bad Griesbach in the Rottal	Holy Family	Pulpit pictures: Christ and the Evangelists.
1926	Buttenwiesen	Holy Trinity	Side altar extracts: Eustachius, Michael.
1931	Nagel (Fichtel Mountains)		Painting: poor souls.
1931	Schöffau (Uffing am Staffelsee)	St. Anna	Stations of the Cross. As well as extracts from the side altar (probably earlier): Josef, Anna.

literature

• The art monuments of Bavaria.

Web links

Commons : Anton Niedermaier  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Matriculation Book 1884–1920 , accessed on December 20, 2011
2. ↑ "Saint Mark, pray for us" oberpfalznet.de, April 25, 2008, accessed December 22, 2011
3. ↑ Guide and companion to the art-historically significant churches and monasteries  ( page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , accessed December 21, 2011; Ceiling painting by Anton Niedermaier , accessed December 19, 2011  
4. ↑ 100 Years of Mittergars Church , accessed on December 20, 2011
5. ^ Uffing municipality , accessed on December 21, 2011
6. ↑ Fourteen oil paintings , accessed on December 21, 2011