Franz von Neumann the Elder

Franz von Neumann the Elder (1872)

Franz von Neumann the Elder (born March 21, 1815 in Freudenthal , Austrian Silesia , † July 9, 1888 in Vienna ) was an Austrian architect and local politician.

Life

Franz von Neumann was the son of master weaver Josef Neumann and his wife Johanna Zapf from Austrian Silesia. Nothing is known about his training and the time of his move to Vienna. He was a draftsman for master builder Adolf Korompay and began to study architecture at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna in 1837 . However, he ended this prematurely and joined the Coburg family in 1839 as a construction assistant to the architect Karl Schleps . Both Schleps and Korompay worked at the Palais Coburg at the time . Neumann was involved in this project for many years and in 1847 also became an architect of the Duke of Coburg.

In 1861 Neumann became a member of the Vienna Fine Arts Cooperative. From 1862 until his death Neumann was a Liberal Member of the Vienna City Council for the 8th district and was a member of important commissions. He was chairman of the building section, deputy chairman of the Donaustadt commission, member of the town hall building and water supply commission, etc.

In 1864 Neumann received the Cross of Merit of the Ducal Saxon Ernestine House Order and was commissioned with prestigious building projects in Gotha . He was supposed to build a museum there, but this dragged on for many years due to excessive construction costs. In 1876 he was awarded the Knight's Cross 1st Class of the Ducal Saxon Ernestine House Order, before the situation finally escalated in 1877 and the contract was withdrawn from him. Despite this disaster, this did not affect his reputation in Vienna. In 1881 he was awarded the Order of the Iron Crown, 3rd class, and knighted.

Franz von Neumann was married to Josefine Nitsche since 1843. Two of his sons, Franz von Neumann the Younger and Gustav Neumann , also became architects.

plant

Seilerststätte 1 (1849)

Ducal Museum, Gotha (1864–1877)

Until about 1852 Franz von Neumann worked exclusively for the House of Coburg on the Palais Coburg. From 1864 he worked on the ducal prestige projects in Gotha. In the period in between, he worked as a freelancer, during which he built several residential buildings in Vienna. These follow the usual late classicist scheme.

Franz von Neumann is often confused with his son of the same name or with Franz Xaver Neumann the Elder. However, its importance does not match that of his son.

• Koháry Crypt , Kleinhadersdorf (1840)
• Extensions and renovations of the Palais Coburg , Seilerstätte 3, Vienna 1 (from 1847)
• Interior design Palais Coburg , Seilerstätte 3, Vienna 1 (from 1847)
• Rental house , Seilerstätte 1, Vienna 1 (1849), internally connected to Palais Coburg
• Residential and commercial building , Florianigasse 19, Vienna 8 (1853)
• Family house , Piaristengasse 13, Vienna 8 (1857)
• Rental house , Berggasse 22, Vienna 9 (1860)
• Rental house , Schlickgasse 3, Vienna 9 (1860)
• Mietpalais , Türkenstrasse 17, Vienna 9 (1861)
• Rental house , Berggasse 24, Vienna 9 (1862), demolished
• Rental house , Liechtensteinstrasse 15, Vienna 9 (1864), with Eugen Zülzer
• Attic top and figure crowning on the bastion facade of the Palais Coburg , Coburgbastei 4, Vienna 1 (1864)
• Expansion of a castle in Gotha , possibly reconstruction of the palace in Mozartstrasse / Schöne Allee (1864)
• Ducal Museum , Gotha (1864–1877)

literature

• Constantin von Wurzbach : Neumann, Franz (architect) . In: Biographisches Lexikon des Kaiserthums Oesterreich . 20th part. Imperial and Royal Court and State Printing Office, Vienna 1869, p. 289 ( digital copy ).

Web links

Commons : Franz Neumann the Elder  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

• Franz von Neumann the Elder. In: Architects Lexicon Vienna 1770–1945. Published by the Architekturzentrum Wien . Vienna 2007.