Anton Ortner (carpenter)

Anton Ortner (born December 17, 1817 at Trogerhof in the Abfaltern district in Abfaltersbach in Tyrol; † April 30, 1885 in Campo Tures ) was an Austrian cabinet maker.

childhood

Anton was born on December 17, 1817 as the fourth of eleven children, Andrä and Anna, born in Troger. Weitlaner was born at Trogerhof. "Tone" grew up with his eight siblings at Trogerhof and attended the eight-year elementary school in Abfaltersbach . During the holidays, little "Tone" had to help his father Andrä on the farm and often look after the cattle on the alpine pastures. The “Tone” recognized his technical talents quite early and took the famous ivory carver Simon Troger , who was also born on this farm, as a role model and learned the craft of cabinet-making in South Tyrol .

job

After an apprenticeship as a cabinet maker and a few years as a carpenter journeyman, Anton went into business for himself in Dietenheim near Bruneck and opened a small workshop. He specialized in church furnishings and had a particular preference for high altars. Thanks to word of mouth, Anton soon became a sought-after cabinet maker in the whole of the Pustertal . The work as a cabinet maker demanded so much time from the "Tone" that he could not find a wife and thus could not start a family.

Works

Several of his works of art are still preserved in these churches today:

• 1871 Gothic high altar in St. Georgen (Bruneck)
• 1872 Tabernacle in the Curate Church in Aurach
• 1882 side altars with neo-Gothic niche structure in St. Jakob in Ahrntal
• 1885 high altar in Wahlen near Toblach

In a newspaper article in the “Neue Tiroler Voice” from December 16, 1873, No. 288, Anton is highlighted as a special art connoisseur and art worker. At the age of 68, Anton Ortner died on April 30, 1885 as a highly regarded artist in Sand in Taufers . In a letter to Anton's brother (after his death), the trough farmer Josef III. Ortner, the dean and pastor Johann Fauster von Taufers described him as a “good and decent man”.

Literature and Sources

• Joachim Ortner: Chronicle of the Ortner family. Lienz 2000