Location
Germany, Bavaria, Dießen
Parish and former monastary Church of the Assumption of Mary (Ehem. Kloster- und heutige Pfarrkirche Mariae Himmelfahrt)
Artwork
The side altar of St Sebastian in the Parish (former monastery) church Assumption of Mary, Dießen
Type
Side altar
Inscriptions
- B. Petrus Forerius Cong: S: Salvatoris G~rlis & Institutor Cong: Canonissarum Di~nae: ~nrae.in nu=merum Beatorum relatus ~a Benedicto XIII P.M.A. 1730 die 29 Jan. (cartouche frame oval towelpainting)
Critical History
The monastery church of the Assumption of Mary (Augustiner Chorherren) was built by Johann Michael Fischer from 1732 to 1739.1 It is equipped with 11 altars: a huge main altar, 8 side altars and 2 altars in the entrance hall executed by different artists (Ehrgott Bendl, Joachim Dietrich, Egid Verhelst, Franz X. Schmädl). The tables of the sidealtars are all made in the same form and material (stone/marble). Only the upper structure has an more or less individual character. Always two parallel altars are created by the same artist. In Dießen we don´t have sketches of of the altar or pulpit of J. B. Straub. The construction was built by a joiner, the sculptures were carved by J. B. Straub or by his staff. In the list of the most important works by J. B. Straub that J. C. Lippert edited in 1772 Dießen has the number 53. 2 The prize for 2 sidealtars each for 1277 fl and 1 pulpit for 9000 fl is documented. 3. Straub also was responsible for the realisation of 2 tabernacles on the 2 sidealtars of Ehrgott Bernhard Bendl (1660-31.01.1738), the balustrade of the organ choir and the decoration for the organ. Straub worked for this church at least from 1738–1740.
The southern altar consecrated to St Sebastian is equipped with the painting of J. B. Tiepolo (1696–1770) which is dated in 1739. It presents the martyr´s death of St Sebastian. The 2 sculptures represent St Thomas (left) and St Matthew (right). The upper construction consists of a profiled decoration-frame to which belongs a curtain an angel on the top and 3 puttos. In front of the predella separated from the Architecture a second towelpainting with a vertical oval form and a gildedframe shows the bust of St Petrus Forerius. The painter is unknown.
Construction / Execution
The upper construction, the frame for the painting with its decoration and the sculptures are made by wood. The surface imitates gold or stone which is executed by metall-leaf or a monochrome paintinglayer with partial gildings. The paintings are made on towel.
Components
- Carpentry
- The side altar of St Sebastian in the Parish (former Monastery) church Assumption of Mary, Dießen
- Author: Johann Baptist Straub (Wiesensteig ca. 1704 – Munich 1784)
- Completed: 1738 – 1740
- Technique(s): sawing, tempera, water gilding, wood carving
- Sculpture
- The side altar of St Sebastian in the Parish (former Monastery) church Assumption of Mary, Dießen
- Author: Johann Baptist Straub (Wiesensteig ca. 1704 – Munich 1784)
- Completed: 1738 – 1740
- Technique(s): polished white, water gilding, wood carving
- Painting
- The side altar of St Sebastian in the Parish (former Monastery) church Assumption of Mary, Dießen
- Author: Giovanni Battista Tiepolo (Venice 1696 – Madrid 1770)
- Completed: 1739
- Technique(s): oil on canvas
- Polychromy
- The side altar of St Sebastian in the Parish (former Monastery) church Assumption of Mary, Dießen
- Completed: 1738 – 1740
- Technique(s): polished white, water gilding
- Material(s): gold leaf, lead white
Comment
Since 1803 the monastery with the church belongs to the Bavarian state. The inside of the church was never completely repainted or restored. But there were several smaller works during 19th and 20th century. The marbeling of the altararchitecture seems to have its historical varnish but a partial restoration with schellack in 1936 is mentioned its reference is unknown.4
The altar of St Stephan and the pulpit will be examinated from October to November 2018.
Conservation-restoration
- 1930
Strategy: removing dirt
Treatment Description
Cleaning and removing dirt in the complete church by firm Wirsching Dießen. May be the dirty parts of the monochrome white painting layer was overpainted.
- 1936
Strategy: removing dirt
Treatment Description
Restoration of several side altars and pulpit by K. Eixenberger, Munich. One text mentions a partial overpainting of the lead white painting layer of the sculptures and a partial overpainting of the varnish on the marbling with schellack the reference is unknown.
- 1955
Treatment Description
Cleaning and removing dirt insideoartly overpainting of the monochrome white painting layers.
- 1979
Treatment Description
Great restoration of the complete building and its equipment under supervision of the spezialised authorities. The equipment was treated under conservative aspects.
- 2010
Treatment Description
The complete wooden equipment was treated with nitrogen against wooden pest.
Images
- The Sebastiansaltar in the parishchurch Assumption of Mary, Dießen photo Bavarian State Department of Monuments and Sites Michael Forstner 08.2017
Catalogue entry prepared by Rupert Karbacher
Recommended citation: Rupert Karbacher, The side altar of St Sebastian in the Parish (former monastery) church Assumption of Mary, Dießen , in: TrArS – Tracing the Art of the Straub Family, 2018, (accessed 22/10/2025) URL
