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The sculpture of St Bartholomew the Apostle, attributed to Joseph Straub (Institute for the Protection of Cultural Heritage of Slovenia, photo by Valentin Benedik, 2018)

The sculpture of St John of Nepomuk, attributed to Joseph Holzinger (Institute for the Protection of Cultural Heritage of Slovenia, photo by Valentin Benedik, 2018)

The sculpture of angel, attributed to Joseph Holzinger (Institute for the Protection of Cultural Heritage of Slovenia, photo by Valentin Benedik, 2018)

The left side altar in the Parish Church of St Mary of the Assumption in Brezje, old photograph (source of the photo: Regional Archive Maribor)

The right side altar in the Parish Church of St Mary of the Assumption in Brezje, old photograph (source of the photo: Regional Archive Maribor)

Location

Slovenia, Maribor

Parish Church of St Mary of the Assumption (Župnijska cerkev sv. Marije Vnebovzete)

Artwork

Sculptures from the Two Side Altars of the Parish Church of St Mary of the Assumption in Brezje

Type

Side altar

Dimensions

Height: 113 cm, width: 64 cm, depth: 28 cm

Critical History

Sergej Vrišer attributed the architectural design for both lateral altarspieces to Joseph Straub. He also considered the statues from the altar of St Florian (Bartholomew the Apostle and an unknown bishop) the work of this sculptor, while on the other hand, he attributed the statues from the altar of St Roch to Joseph Holzinger.1 He suggested that the commission of the two altarpieces remained unfinished when Joseph Straub died and that it was Joseph Holzinger who finished it. According to this hypothesis, Vrišer proposed the dating of the altars in 1756 and 1757.2 His attribution was based on stylistic analysis.

The church interior was renovated in 1965.3 The altarpieces were removed from the church shortly after 1965, but there are two photographs showing their original appearance (Fig. 5, fig. 6). They were typical for Joseph Straub: a pair of columns and a pair of sculptures on each side of the altar painting, and with volutes and angel figures in the upper part. Both altars had massive ornaments. In 1990s, the altar paintings were stolen and only the small paintings from the upper part remained.

Today, the remaining sculptures of saints are set on the new altars, but they are not arranged as they should be according to the preserved photographs. From left to right there are: St Augustine and an unknown bishop, St John of Nepomuk and St Bartholomew the Apostle – the sculpture of the latter and the sculpture of the unknown bishop were attributed to Joseph Straub. Two angels on the left side are older (from the beginning of the 18^th Century and by other unknown sculptor), while the angels on the right side were attributed to Joseph Holzinger.

Construction / Execution

Sculptures and ornaments from both side altars are made of wood. Currently, they are situated on a stone altars. The frame of the canvas altar painting is partially imitating marble and partially gold. The ornaments, angel wings and drapery were originally gilded. The sculptures of the saints are now painted in the manner of the beginning of the 20^th century.

Components

Carpentry: Carpentry – side altars; Author: Joseph Straub (Wiesensteig 1712 – Maribor 1756)
Sculpture: Sculpture on the left side altar; Author: Joseph Straub (Wiesensteig 1712 – Maribor 1756); Completed: ca. 1756; Technique(s): wood carving; Material(s): limewood
Sculpture: Sculptures on the right side altar; Author: Joseph Holzinger (Limbuš 1735 – Maribor 1797); Completed: ca. 1757 – ca.; Technique(s): wood carving; Material(s): limewood

Comment

The ornaments, angel wings and drapery were originally gilded. The sculptures of the saints are now painted in the manner of the beginning of the 20^th century. The last repolychromy on both altars was made a few years ago by Maribor archdiocese workshop. The sculptures were renovated with a thick layer of oil (acrylic?) paint. Some ornaments were painted with bronze paint.

Images

The sculpture of St Bartholomew the Apostle, attributed to Joseph Straub (Institute for the Protection of Cultural Heritage of Slovenia, photo by Valentin Benedik, 2018)
The sculpture of St John of Nepomuk, attributed to Joseph Holzinger (Institute for the Protection of Cultural Heritage of Slovenia, photo by Valentin Benedik, 2018)
The sculpture of angel, attributed to Joseph Holzinger (Institute for the Protection of Cultural Heritage of Slovenia, photo by Valentin Benedik, 2018)
The sculpture of angel, attributed to Joseph Holzinger (Institute for the Protection of Cultural Heritage of Slovenia, photo by Valentin Benedik, 2018)
The left side altar in the Parish Church of St Mary of the Assumption in Brezje, old photograph (source of the photo: Regional Archive Maribor)
The right side altar in the Parish Church of St Mary of the Assumption in Brezje, old photograph (source of the photo: Regional Archive Maribor)

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Catalogue entry prepared by Valentina Pavlič and Saša Dolinšek

Recommended citation: Valentina Pavlič and Saša Dolinšek, Sculptures from the Two Side Altars of the Parish Church of St Mary of the Assumption in Brezje, in: TrArS – Tracing the Art of the Straub Family, 2018, (accessed 19/11/2025) URL

Sources and Bibliography

Sergej Vrišer, Baročno kiparstvo na slovenskem Štajerskem, Maribor, Obzorja, 1963
Sergej Vrišer, Baročno kiparstvo na slovenskem Štajerskem, Ljubljana, Slovenska matica, 1992
Sergej Vrišer, Jožef Holzinger, Maribor, 1997

Notes

1 Vrišer 1963, 99, 103, 156, 169; Vrišer 1992, 146, 153, 216, 235; Vrišer 1997, 16, 18, 21, 103.

2 Vrišer 1963, 99; Vrišer 1997, 16, 103.

3 Chronicle of the parish.