Mathias Prininger

Mathias Prininger (* 1652 in Wels ; † June 24, 1718 in Krems an der Donau ) was an Austrian bell founder . He is considered one of the most important baroque foundries in Austria .

Live and act

Mathias Prininger's signature on the bell of the Piarist Church in Krems

Prininger was granted citizenship in Krems on December 2, 1683. In the same year he also took over the foundry that had existed there for several generations from his predecessor Johann Christoph Flos. Within around 35 years he cast over 80 bells, 41 of which are still preserved today, almost all of them in Lower Austria . Mathias Prininger allegedly died as a result of the great efforts in casting his most important work, the large bell of St. Florian Monastery , cast in 1717. However, in 1718, the year he died, a few more bells were made. After Prininer's death, the foundry was initially continued by his wife and finally taken over by Ferdinand Drakh in 1720.

Works

The following important works are among the preserved bells:

• St. Pölten Cathedral : 4 bells of what used to be a 5-part peal on a ⁰ from 1696 (bell 3 is not preserved)
• City parish church Waidhofen an der Ybbs : 3-part bell on h ⁰ from 1689
• Piarist Church Krems : Piarist bell (also called Kremser Pummerin ) on g ⁰ from 1702
• St. Florian Monastery : large bell, called fear bell or also prelate bell, on f ⁰ from 1717. With a weight of 8,643 kg and a diameter of 244 cm, this is the largest historical bell and the fifth largest bell in Austria , as well as the largest in the federal state of Upper Austria .

The following important works have not been preserved:

• Seitenstetten Abbey : large bell on a ⁰ from 1709 with a weight of 3,875 kg and a diameter of 189 cm, cracked and cast in 1913
• Göttweig Abbey : large bell from 1700 with a weight of approx.3,360 kg, cast in 1752
• Melk Abbey : large bell from 1705 weighing around 6,720 kg, destroyed in a fire in 1738

literature

• Jörg Wernisch: Bell customer of Austria . Journal-Verlag, Lienz 2006