Artworks Catalogue

Location

Germany, Bavaria, Munich

Parish Church of St Peter (Pfarrkirche St. Peter)

Catholic Parish of St Peter

Artwork

The Epitaph for Maria Josepha von Matern in the Parish Church of St Peter in Munich

Type

Sculpture

Critical History

The epitaph has been reconstructed in 1975/76 on the basis of a brush-drawing (after 1781). Lippert listet the epitaph with no. 22. He describes the material in marble and casted lead (?) 1 Volk has integrated the reconstuction into the works of art of Johann Baptist Straub. 2
The lady Matern died in 1751. Her epitaph consists of a console on which is standing the sarcophague with the corpse of the deceased person, the stone with the inscription and the upper part with the coats of arm and the crown. The corpse is bedded completely dressed onto a pillow and a curtain on the sarcophague. The curtain is hanging from the right upper corner of the stone with the inscription. It is disappearing behind the stone and leaving on its left side. A cherub is sitting in front of the sarcophague holding the curtain and mourning the deceased. Two coats of arm on top of the epitaph and a crown represent the noble rank of the deceased person.

The inscription says: PEDEM A LAPIDE VIATOR FLOREM NE CONCULCES VIRTUTIS AC TENERAE AETATIS. DOM. MARIAM JOSEPHAM DE MATERN NATAM DE RUFFINI DOMINAM IN SAULBURG CECIDIT FLOS ISTE XIX AETATIS ANNO XII MARTII MDCCLI CADUCITATEM ERGO VITAE EX E MORTUO ODORABIS FLORE CUI CUM VIX APPARAVIT IN TERRA NOSTRA TEMPUS PUTATIONIS ADVENIT REQUIESCAT IN PACE

Construction / Execution

The sculptural decoration was originally made by metal (cast lead) and gilding. It is not documented what was reconstructed. May be its only the decoration because behind the letters of the inscription you can see many drill-holes (in the marble?). The height was 10,5 Schuh.The main part with the inscription was made in marble. The reconstruction is carved in wood and has got a polychrome layer and a gilding.

Components

Masonry

The Epitaph for Maria Josepha Matern in the parishchurch St Peter, Munich

Author: Johann Baptist Straub (Wiesensteig ca. 1704 – Munich 1784)

Completed: 1751

Technique(s): stone carving

Material(s): stone

Sculpture

The epitaph for Maria Josepha von Matern in the Parish Church St Peter, Munich

Author: Johann Baptist Straub (Wiesensteig ca. 1704 – Munich 1784)

Completed: 1751

Technique(s): wood carving

Metalwork

The Epitaph for Maria Josepha Matern in the parishchurch St Peter, Munich

Completed: 1751

Technique(s): casting, fire-gilding

Material(s): copper

Polychromy

The epitaph for Maria Josepha von Matern in St Peter, Munich

Completed: 1751

Technique(s): oil gilding

Comment

Volk has integrated the reconstuction into the works of art of Johann Baptist Straub. It must be remarked that it is not a work of Johann Baptist Straub dating in the 18^th century but a work/reconstruction in a different material by a carver from the 20^th century.

Conservation-restoration

1976

Approach to the presentation of losses

Reconstruction of losses: total

Treatment Description

Complete reconstruction after a drawing of the 18.th century.

Images

1. The Epitaph for Maria Josepha Matern in the parishchurch St Peter, Munich photo Bavarian State Office for Monuments and Sites Michael Forstner 06_2018
2. The Epitaph for Maria Josepha Matern in the parishchurch St Peter, Munich photo Bavarian State Office for Monuments and Sites Michael Forstner 06_2018