Pilgrimage church Mariahilf (Wallfahrtskirche Mariahilf)
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Artwork
The crucifix in the porch of the pilgrimage church Mariahilf in Graz
Type
Sculpture
Critical History
The crucifix in the porch of Mariahilf church can be dated in the middle of the third quarter of the 18th century.1 There is no clear evidence of the executing artist, but there are striking similarities between the Corpus Christi and Straub’s sculptures. The felicitous modelling of the body and the well-defined muscle drawings recall the artist’s oeuvre. The same applies to the loincloth, which is artfully draped around Christ’s lumbar region, barely held on place by a cord. It’s of appealing artistic qualities, which indicate the authorship of a master of his craft. It is a highly realistic depiction, strengthened by the drops of blood trickling out of the wounds.
Construction / Execution
It is a three-nail-type with the head resting on the right side. The cross is made of sawed boards and appears to be oversized for the relatively small corpus. Above it, there is a carved vertical titulus with rolled-up edges.
Components
Sculpture
Completed: 1755 – 1765
Technique(s): wood carving
Material(s): wood
Polychromy
Completed: 1755 – 1765
Images
Crucifix in the porch, pilgrimage church Mariahilf, Graz (photo by Anja Lindbichler, 2018)
Catalogue entry prepared by Christina Pichler and Margit Stadlober
Recommended citation: Christina Pichler and Margit Stadlober, The crucifix in the porch of the pilgrimage church Mariahilf in Graz, in: TrArS – Tracing the Art of the Straub Family, 2018, (accessed 29/10/2025) URL
Sources and Bibliography
Dehio. Die Kunstdenkmäler Österreichs. Graz, Wien, Verlag Anton Schroll & Co, 1979
