Veit Koeniger

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Trinity column in front of the St. Peter city cemetery in Graz
High altar of the Graz Cathedral
Pulpit of the parish church Nestelbach near Graz

Veit Königer (born July 1, 1729 in Obervierschach , (today the municipality of Innichen ), South Tyrol ; † December 2, 1792 in Graz) was a South Tyrolean sculptor .

Life

Veit Königer was born as Vitus Kiniger, the second of four children. His parents were Josef Kiniger (1695–1743) and Eva Toldin († 1741), godfather was Vitus Fuchs, who gave the boy his name. After his childhood in nearby Sexten , he probably attended the collegiate school in Innichen / San Candido, where his artistic talent was discovered and promoted early on. He spent his apprenticeship with a sculptor in the area. The workshop of a certain Matthias Schranzhofer (1667–1758) comes into question.

In 1751 Veit Königer was accepted as a student at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna . His study period was four years; The head of the study was Professor Jakob Christoph Schletterer (1699–1774). After completing his studies, Koeniger received permission to carry a sword with him. In 1754 he took part in a competition at the academy and won first prize in front of his classmate Johann Baptist Hagenauer . With 21 out of 26 votes, a sculpture of Heracles was successful in the fight against the giant Antaeus.

Probably a little later Veit Königer left the academy and Vienna. What prompted him to go to Graz and join Josef Schokotnigg 's workshop there is unknown. In 1756 he married his master's daughter, Elisabeth Schokotnigg, in the parish church of St. Peter . The bride's best man was the painter Johann Baptist Raunacher . After the death of his father-in-law, he moved his workshop to Schönaugasse 49, where he created his first well-known work, the Sacred Heart Altar for the Barmherzigenkirche in Graz. The area where his workshop was once called "Kirtratten" and is now in the area of ​​the Steyrergasse tram depot.

In 1756 Veit Königer's wife gave birth to their first son, Joseph Philipp; Daughter Maria Anna Helena followed in 1758, and only one year later the twin girls Magdalena and Elisabeth. On May 10, 1769, Veit Königer was appointed a "real member" of the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna. In early March 1773, Königer's wife Elisabeth died at the age of 43. Only two months later, the artist married the professor's daughter Elisabeth Tälscher in the treasury of the church in Mariahilf . She died childless in May 1790.

A short time after the death of his second wife, at the age of 61 in February 1791, Königer married the 26-year-old Barbara Scheiflein from Preding . Two other children came from this connection: Vitus (* April 1792) and Franz von Paola (* March 1792). A few months later, Veit Königer died on December 2, 1792 at the age of 63 from the effects of a stroke, which was probably preceded by a long illness. The sculptor found his final resting place in the local cemetery St. Peter in Graz.

Kings was considered a friend of children and a man of the people. Between 1755 and 1775 he sponsored no fewer than 35 baptisms: a child of Jakob Philipp Straub , six children of the painter Johann Baptist Raunacher, children of other colleagues and various craftsmen and service personnel. On the occasion of the 200th anniversary of his death on November 27, 1992, the first issue of a 5-schilling special postage stamp took place.

Style and work environment

It was the Rococo period . His workshop was busy. Up to nine assistants supported him in his work. Works from his workshops can be found in numerous churches and chapels throughout Styria and beyond.

Works

Altars

He created some important high altars in Styria:

Pulpits

Sculptures

literature

Web links

Commons : Veit Königer  - Collection of images, videos and audio files
personal data
SURNAME King, Veit
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Kiniger, Vitus
BRIEF DESCRIPTION South Tyrolean sculptor
DATE OF BIRTH July 1, 1729
PLACE OF BIRTH Obervierschach , South Tyrol
DATE OF DEATH December 2, 1792
Place of death Graz