Martin Theophil Polak

Martin Theophil Polak: Self-Portrait, Tiroler Landesmuseum Ferdinandeum (1631)

Coronation of Mary, altarpiece in St. Vigil, Spormaggiore (1614)

Martin Theophil Polak , actually Marcin Teofilowicz (* around 1570 in Poland , † 25 January 1639 in Brixen ) was a native of Poland painter of the early Baroque , predominantly in Tyrol worked.

Life

Very little is known about Polak's early years. Possibly he came from Lviv . In any case, he was a student of Martin Kober in Cracow in 1595 and then worked in Prague . In 1597 he came to Innsbruck with Archduke Maximilian the German master . From around 1600 Polak lived in the Principality of Trento for over 20 years . From 1608 he worked as court painter to Cardinal Carlo Gaudenzio Madruzzo in Trento . Several trips took Polak 1610–1614 to Northern Italy and 1620–1622 to Bologna , Florence and Venice , where he was particularly inspired by the art of Antonio da Correggio . In 1626 he became court painter to Leopold V in Innsbruck. When the Ruhelust residence burned down in 1636, the artist's studio, including his possessions and pictures, were also destroyed. In 1637 he therefore went to Brixen, where he entered the service of Prince-Bishop Wilhelm von Welsperg . Here, before his death, he set up several foundations for “young people eager to learn”. He was buried in the collegiate church in Brixen.

plant

In addition to portraits, Martin Theophil Polak created numerous religious representations, especially altarpieces and frescoes for churches in Tyrol . He was the main representative of the early baroque there.

• Self-portrait , Tiroler Landesmuseum Ferdinandeum, Innsbruck (around 1590)
• Coronation of Mary , Parish Church of St. Vigil, Spormaggiore (1614)
• High altar sheet and crucifixion picture , parish church in Mülln (1623)
• Medallion pictures , Marienkapelle next to the Hofkirche , Innsbruck (1627)
• Dome fresco , Jesuit Church , Innsbruck (1627; not preserved)
• High and side altarpiece , Servite Church , Innsbruck (1628)
• Two side altar paintings , Capuchin Church, Innsbruck (around 1630)
• Self-portrait , Tiroler Landesmuseum Ferdinandeum, Innsbruck (1631)
• High altar painting , Frauenkirche , Brixen (1638)
• Side altar paintings , parish church St. Michael , Brixen (1638)

literature

• Giuseppe Sava:  Polacco, Martino Teofilo. In: Raffaele Romanelli (ed.): Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani (DBI). Volume 84:  Pio VI – Ponzo. Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana, Rome 2015.
• Gertrud Pfaundler-Spat: Tyrol Lexicon . StudienVerlag, Innsbruck 2005, ISBN 978-3-7065-4210-4 , p. 436.
• Mathias Bersohn (1823–1908): Martinus Teophilus Polak: a painter of the 17th century: Frankfurt a. Main: J. Baer, ​​1891.
• Biographical Lexicon of the Austrian Empire , Volume: 23 (1872), from page: 81, [1]

Web links

Commons : Marcin Teofilowicz  - collection of images, videos and audio files