Künstlerische Folgen einer Steinigung. Franz Xaver Wagenschön und seine Vorbilder (Curator's Choice, Nr. 5, 2023)

Künstlerische Folgen 
einer Stei nigung . 
Franz Xaver W agensch ön 
und seine V o rbilder 
GEORG LECHNER 
# 
5 
/ 
2023CURATOR’S CHOICE

Bibliographic data

Title:

Künstlerische Folgen einer Steinigung. Franz Xaver Wagenschön und seine Vorbilder (Curator's Choice, Nr. 5, 2023)

Credits:

Österreichische Galerie Belvedere / Autor*innen

License:

Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.57836/tjfs-gs26

Abstract

The small format of this Stoning of St. Stephen as well as artistic practices of the time suggest that it was a preliminary work for a larger painting. Indeed, it bears a strong resemblance to the high altarpiece at the parish church in Kirchberg am Wagram. However, that painting has since been identified as a recognized work by Carlo Innocenzo Carlone, whereas the smaller “sketch” bears the signature of Franz Xaver Wagenschön. This calls for an alternative interpretation. A glance at Wagenschön’s known oeuvre reveals that he continually engaged with the elaborations of other masters, drawing in- spiration from these for his own works. In the case of The Stoning of St. Stephen, although the painter largely adopted the composition, he rendered it in his own signature style. His style, in turn, was influenced by the paintings of Martin Johann Schmidt, called Kremser Schmidt, and this is reflected especially in the lighting of the image, indicating that it was
painted between 1770 and 1780. Whether the artist intended to follow this with a large-scale painting cannot be clarified at the present time. The degree of execution and the existence of a signature also suggest an independent work, possibly an addition to the artist’s collection of copies.

Keywords:

Oil sketch – Lower Austria – Carlo Innocenzo Carlone – Kirchberg am Wagram – Late Baroque – Martyrdom – Wagenschön

License

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