Joachim Günther (sculptor)
Joachim Günther (born March 3, 1720 in Tritschenkreuth, today Peißenberg , Upper Bavaria, † July 2, 1789 in Bruchsal ) was a German sculptor and plasterer of the late Baroque or Rococo . For a long time he worked as a court sculptor in the Principality of Speyer .
Live and act
Joachim Günther came as the son of the farmers Jakob Günther and Maria geb. Lagelocher (also Lengelacher), in Tritschenkreuth, today market town Peißenberg, to the world. His eldest brother Matthäus Günther (1705–1788) became one of the most famous southern German painters of his era.
When Joachim Günther began his apprenticeship around 1735, his brother Matthäus , who lived in Augsburg , was already an accomplished artist who was in contact with many plasterers and sculptors through his work. Joachim Günther's training is therefore likely to have taken place in the circle of acquaintances of the older brother. There is also evidence of a stay in Moravia , where his uncle Ignaz Lengelacher (1698–1780) worked as a respected sculptor.
In 1747, Joachim Günther started his own business as a sculptor in Zusmarshausen near Augsburg and worked in nearby Lindgraben and Horgauergreut , among other places . A Pietà by the artist has been preserved in Lindgraben, and apostles in the church of Horgauergreut.
From 1752 Joachim Günther worked in Bruchsal, where he was in the service of Prince-Bishop Cardinal Franz Christoph von Hutten zum Stolzenberg , who held him in high regard and appointed him court sculptor in 1755. The cardinal had a total of twelve figures created by Joachim Günther set up in the garden or on the garden side of his residence, the Bruchsal Palace , from 1755, namely the 4 seasons, the 4 elements and 4 halberdiers , which are among Günther's most famous and most successful sculptures. Likewise, the balconies and the heraldic gables on the courtyard and garden side of the palace were designed by Joachim Günther. In 1777 the artist created an impressive Madonna figure for the baroque westwork of the Speyer Cathedral , which has since been demolished again , which is now in the Imperial Hall, inside the cathedral. Several high altars from his workshop are also known, for example in Walzbachtal-Jöhlingen , in Sankt Martin (Palatinate) (no longer existent, photo preserved) and for the Speyer Cathedral (not preserved). Prince-Bishop August von Limburg-Stirum (1721–1797) had the Günther altar of the Speyer Cathedral built entirely out of marble in the Johannischor in honor of Pope Stephan and it was once supposed to contain the urn with his heart, which is why it is also known as the “Heart Crypt Altar” has been. Cardinal Johann Jakob von Geissel describes it in 1828 in his book Der Kaiserdom zu Speyer , Volume 3.
Family relationships
Joachim Günther had been married to Anna Maria Müller from Zusmarshausen since 1749 and had several children with her. The son Joachim Günther died young as cathedral vicar in Speyer. His brother Franz Christoph Günther (1770–1848), whose godfather was Cardinal Bishop Franz Christoph von Hutten, also became a priest and died as cathedral capitular in Speyer. The sons Tobias Günther (1755–1811) and Johann Adam Günther (1760-after 1832) followed in their father's artistic footsteps. Altars and sculptures by Tobias Günther and sculptures and paintings by Johann Adam are known, the latter was also an excellent gilder.
Joachim Günther also brought his uncle and teacher Ingnaz Lengelacher from Moravia to the region, where he became artistically active. His son-in-law (husband of Joachim Günther's cousin) was in turn the Baden court painter Joseph Melling (1724–1796) in Karlsruhe .
literature
- Karin Jäckel: Research results on the life of the Bruchsal court sculptor and plasterer Joachim Günther . In: Zeitschrift für die Geschichte des Oberrheins , Volume 127. 1979, pp. 319–342, online
- Karin Jäckel: The work of the sculptor Joachim Günther (1720 - 1789) , dissertation to obtain the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at the Philosophical Faculty of Saarland University , Saarbrücken 1975
Web links
- Website about Joachim Günther's altars in Jöhlingen, with a short biography
- Sculptures by Joachim Günther in the garden of Bruchsal Castle
Individual evidence
- ↑ Source for the exact dates of life
- ↑ Source on the name of the father
- ↑ To the brother Matthäus Günther
- ↑ To Ignaz Lengelacher
- ^ Source on the stay in Moravia
- ↑ On the Pieta by Joachim Günther in Lindgraben
- ↑ On the figures of the apostles in Horgauergreut
- ↑ On Joachim Günther's work in Horgauergreut ( 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.
- ↑ Joachim Günther as the favorite sculptor of Prince-Bishop Cardinal von Hutten
- ↑ Website with photo of the Bruchsal figure "Fire"
- ↑ Website with photo of the Bruchsal figure "Air"
- ↑ To the Bruchsal Palace Gardens and his Günther sculptures (with several photos)
- ↑ The Bruchsaler Schlossgarten ( Memento of the original from July 19, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ Source on the work on Bruchsal Castle
- ↑ To the copy of the Speyer Madonna by Joachim Günther (3rd paragraph) ( Memento of the original from July 25, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ The altars of Joachim Günther in the Martinskirche Jöhlingen (illustrated) ( Memento of the original from March 5, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ To the altar in St. Martin
- ↑ To the altar for the Speyer Cathedral
- ↑ Description of Joachim Günther's altar in the Speyer Cathedral
- ↑ On Joachim Günther's wife and children
- ↑ On Joachim Günther's wife
- ↑ To Tobias Günther ( Memento of the original dated November 6, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ To Johann Adam Günther
- ^ To Johann Adam Günther, with life data
- ^ On the involvement of Uncle Ignaz Lengelacher in the Prince Diocese of Speyer
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Günther, Joachim |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | German sculptor and plasterer |
| DATE OF BIRTH | March 3, 1720 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Peissenberg |
| DATE OF DEATH | July 2, 1789 |
| Place of death | Bruchsal |