Johann Evangelist Holzer

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Self-portrait with a palette
The ceiling fresco “The Triumph of Flora” in the former summer residence of the prince-bishop. Copy from the 18th century
Johann Evangelist Holzer - The Christian Hercules - 1736

Johann Evangelist Holzer (* December 24, 1709 in Burgeis , South Tyrol , † July 21, 1740 in Clemenswerth ) was a German-Austrian painter of the Augsburg Rococo , who mainly painted frescoes with original genre scenes and was an excellent master of light and shadow .

Life

Holzer received his training from the painter Nikolaus Auer. From 1728 he worked for the Straubing master Josef Merz. It has been traceable in Augsburg since around 1730. He worked in the workshop of Johann Georg Bergmüller . In 1732/33 Holzer worked together with his teacher Bergmüller on two side altars of the Guardian Angel Church in Eichstätt . Here the mastery of light and shadow in Holzer's work was already indicated.

After leaving Bergmüller's workshop, he found a sponsor in the art publisher Johann Pfeffel, whose house he painted. He became the most sought-after facade painter in Augsburg. Apart from a few sketches and engravings, nothing of this type of work has survived.

In 1737 he was appointed court painter to the prince-bishop of Eichstatt by Bishop Johann Anton II von Freyberg , whose summer residence he decorated with the ceiling fresco “The Triumph of Flora” . In addition to the destroyed ceiling paintings of the baroque Neumann basilica of the Münsterschwarzach Abbey, Holzer's main works are the dome frescoes of the pilgrimage church of St. Anton in Partenkirchen , which are among the most beautiful and important of the 18th century in Germany. They represent St. Anthony as intercessor for the needy.

In Dießen am Ammersee Holzer painted the St. Michael altar for the Marienmünster in Dießen , as well as the two oil paintings in the sacristy, they show Rasso and Mechthild .

The painting for the high altar of the Guardian Angel Church was created in Eichstätt in 1738/39 . It is Holzer's largest picture on canvas (H: 8.36 m; W: 4.28 m) and impresses with its movement, gestures, a dynamic composition and a sophisticated light dramaturgy. Although Bergmüller's signatures can be found on two pictures (side altars), they are assigned to Holzer, the painter of the high altar painting documented by archives.

Holzer, who was supposed to paint Clemenswerth Castle in Emsland, arrived sick at the court of Elector Clemens August and died at the age of 30 of a fever, probably typhus . He is buried under the Marien Altar in the parish church of Sögel .

literature

Web links

Commons : Johann Evangelist Holzer  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Film excerpt: Restorer Julia Gens from Munich doing restoration work on two paintings by Johann Evangelist Holzer from the Guardian Angel Church in Eichstätt. Video on youtube
personal data
SURNAME Holzer, Johann Evangelist
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German-Austrian Rococo painter
DATE OF BIRTH December 24, 1709
PLACE OF BIRTH Burgeis
DATE OF DEATH July 21, 1740
Place of death Clemworth