Johann Parler the Elder

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The Chorobergaden of Basel Minster, which was renewed after the earthquake of 1356
The choir of the Freiburg Minster, on the left the sacristy

John of Gmund (* around 1320/30 probably in Schwabisch Gmund , † after 1359) was a German builder of the Gothic , probably the family Parler belonged. He was perhaps the eldest son of the builder and architect Heinrich Parler and brother of Michael and Peter Parler . Therefore he is sometimes called Johann (es) Parler the Elder .

Johannes von Gmünd and his wife Katharina were documentedly safe in Basel between 1357 and 1359. There he led the restoration of the minster , especially the choir, which had become necessary due to the Basel earthquake in 1356 .

On January 8, 1359, Johannes von Gmünd was hired as “a citizen of Friburg” to lead the construction of the new choir at the cathedral in Freiburg im Breisgau, which began in 1354, as a foreman for life. John's seal with the angle hook hangs on the received certificate. The symbol also appears on the bust of Peter Parler in St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague and is therefore considered evidence of Johannes' belonging to the Parler family. Johannes had previously worked at the Freiburg Choir. Its share in the construction is individually unsecured. Whether the unusual plan of the choir with the chapel wreath and a central pillar instead of a top chapel goes back to him is controversial. The two-storey sacristy with the leaf frieze on the main cornice, built on the south side by the former Nicolaus Chapel , may represent an early construction phase of the choir. How long Johannes von Gmünd was active cannot be precisely determined. The increase in the east towers, known as the “Hahnentürme”, could have been made by his workshop.

Winkelhaken coat of arms under that of the Münsterbauhütte at Freiburg Minster. The connection to Johannes von Gmünd is not certain

Further works are attributed to Johannes: Because of his origins in Gmünd and his assumed belonging to the Parler family, it is assumed that he took over the choir building of the Holy Cross Minster in Schwäbisch Gmünd after Heinrich Parler's death .

According to Eduard Paulus , he was involved in the construction of the choir in Zwettl Monastery, which was carried out from 1343 to 1348 , since the floor plan of the choir in Zwettl and its chapel wreath coincides with that of the choir of the Holy Cross Minster in Schwäbisch Gmünd.

South portal of the Freiburg Minster

It is not known whether Johannes von Gmünd was also active as a sculptor. The two choir portals decorated with figures date from the time of his activity in Freiburg.

supposed tomb of Berthold V in the Freiburg Minster

The alleged Tumba Bertholds V also comes from his construction works , but it shows one of the Counts of Freiburg , probably Friedrich († 1356). According to Kurt Bauch , this tomb is said to have inspired Johann's younger brother Peter later to create his tombs for the Přemyslids in St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague.

Possible offspring

The relationship of the following people to Johannes is not certain.

  • Master Michael von Freiburg, foreman of the Strasbourg Minster 1383–1385, probably named after Uncle Michael.
  • Master Johann von Freiburg, named Giovanni da Firimburg in 1390 as one of the German master craftsmen at the cathedral in Milan and probably identical to the "Johann the German" mentioned there, but to be distinguished from Anni (Annes, = Hans) de Fernach there . A son of Johann von Freiburg could be: Master Pietro di Giovanni, born in Freiburg, head of the hut at the Dombau in Orvieto 1402

literature

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Cf. La Roche in the contributions z. Business d. Basel Minster; III. The minster before and after the earthquake, Basel 1885.
  2. ↑ a b Ingeborg Dorchenas:  Johann Parler the Elder. In: Biographisch-Bibliographisches Kirchenlexikon (BBKL). Volume 6, Bautz, Herzberg 1993, ISBN 3-88309-044-1 , Sp. 1543-1554.  ( Article / beginning of article in Internet archive )
  3. ^ Friedrich Kempf: Our dear women Munster. In: Freiburg im Breisgau. The city and its buildings. HM Poppen & Sohn, Freiburg 1898, p. 272 .
  4. ↑ Katarina Papajanni: The development of the Regensburg Cathedral through horizontal walkways and vertical staircases. Dissertation at the Faculty of History and Geosciences at the University of Bamberg, 2002.
  5. ^ Richard Strobel: Landesdenkmalamt Baden Württemberg: The art monuments of the city of Schwäbisch Gmünd. Volume 1: City building history, city fortifications, Heiligkreuzmünster. Deutscher Kunstverlag, Munich 2003, ISBN 3-422-06381-1 .
  6. ↑ See Dom. Avanzo, Zwettl and his restoration efforts, in the reports and communications of the Alt.-Ver. zu Wien, Vol. XXII, p. 30, 1883.
  7. ↑ At least in the draft by Johannes, according to Wilhelm Vöge: To the north portal of the Freiburg Cathedral Choir. In: Freiburger Münsterblätter: half-yearly publication for the history and art of the Freiburg Minster. 11th year. Herdersche Verlagshandlung, Freiburg i. Br. 1915 ( digitized ).
  8. ^ Karl Schmid; Hans Schadek: The Zähringer. 2, impetus and effect. Thorbecke, Sigmaringen 1986, ISBN 3-7995-7041-1 , p. 7.
  9. ^ Heinrich Otte : Handbook of the church art archeology of the German Middle Ages . TO Weigel, Leipzig 1868, Volume I, p. 644 .
personal data
SURNAME Parler, Johann the Elder
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Parler, Johannes von; Parler, Johann von; Gmünd, Johannes von; Parlaz I, Johann; Parlerius I, Johann
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German builder of the Gothic
DATE OF BIRTH 14th Century
DATE OF DEATH 14th century or 15th century