Johann Gottfried Knöffler

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Grave of Johann Gottfried Knöffler in the family crypt on the Inner Neustädter Friedhof in Dresden.

Johann Gottfried Knöffler (born March 21, 1715 in Zschölkau , † September 11, 1779 in Dresden ) was a German sculptor .

Life

Johann Gottfried Knöffler was born in Zschölkau as the son of Martin Schäfer and Magdalena Wegewitz. He apprenticed as a sculptor in Leipzig and later in Berlin with Friedrich Christian Glume . Around 1740 he turned to Dresden, where he married the daughter of the court sculptor Johann Benjamin Thomae , Charlotte. Thomae, a student of Balthasar Permoser , gave Knöffler a job as a court sculptor in 1742.

Knöffler's family crypt.

When the Dresden Art Academy was opened in 1764 , Knöffler was given the professorship for sculpture. Just six years later, Knöffler finished his work as a sculptor because he was sick with pneumonia due to his work .

In 1772 he resigned from all his offices. From 1777 he worked on the crypt in the Inner Neustädter Friedhof , which was intended for his family and at the same time was his last work.

Johann Gottfried Knöffler died in Dresden in 1779 and, according to his intentions, was buried in the family vault in the Inner Neustädter Friedhof. Although he had deposited part of his fortune for the maintenance of the crypt after his death, Knöffler's grave fell into disrepair over the years. It was considered to be in danger of collapsing in the late 20th century and was finally fully restored in 1995.

meaning

The dolphin fountain in Dresden with the fountain relief by Johann Gottfried Knöffler.

Johann Gottfried Knöffler is considered the German pioneer of classicism , although many of his works have late baroque features. Numerous statues by Knöffler are still preserved in Dresden today, such as the relief of the Küferbrunnen in the Palais Brühl-Marcolini , today part of the Friedrichstadt Hospital (1745), the relief of the dolphin fountain on the Brühl Terrace (around 1747) and decorative ornaments for For example, the large coat of arms, and fountain designs in and on the Taschenbergpalais or the figurative decorations (including putti at the Palais der secondsogenitur in the Blüherpark ). One of his best-known works is the Delphic Apollo (around 1740–1750) in the Palais des Großer Garten and the figural decorations at the Coselpalais in Dresden. The fountain design of the Palais Hoym was saved in 1945 and restored by Christian Hempel . This well was installed in 1983 on the extension to the police headquarters . It shows children playing with a dolphin lying on a rock. The fountain has been in storage since the extension was demolished. The two life-size individual figures “Bacchus” and “Flora”, which once stood in the castle garden of Röhrsdorf / Dohna and are now in the Gamig castle park, are now considered to be works by Gottfried Knöffler. Other works by Knöffler were destroyed in 1945.

literature

Web links

Commons : Johann Gottfried Knöffler  - Collection of images, videos and audio files