Location
Germany, Bavaria, Munich
Old church of St John Baptist (Alte Kirche St. Johann Baptist)
Cath. Parish St John Baptist Munich-Solln
Artwork
The altar for the chapel of Georg Konrad Sauer in the old church St John Baptist, Munich-Solln
Type
High altar
Inscriptions
- "Ad maiorem Sanctissimae Triados, Passionisque Dominicae gloriam, ac honorem Divi Joannis Baptistae, Sanctorumque, quorum imagines hic sunt, & totius Curiae Coelestis Georgius Conradus Sauer Commercii Consiliarius, & Maria Anna Relingerin eius conjuxhanc una cum statuis aram fieri, erigique curaverunt. Anno reparatae salutis MDCCLX" backside of painting
Critical History
Lippert lists the altar for the housechapel of Johann Georg Sauer which was located in the Kaufingerstreet no. 6 in Munich under no. 25.1 In 1788 the house was sold to another owner who had seld the altar between 1830 and 1840 the altar to the parish of St John in Solln. The arthistorians didn´t know about the existence of the altar. It was Dr. Stefan Nadler who found out that the altar did still exist and that it had found a new function.2
In the center of the altar a towelpainting by Balthasar Augustin Albrecht painter at the court shows St John Baptist and other saints (St George, St Barbara, St Elisabeth, St Maria, St Anna and St Joachim) who might be added on demand of the houseowner. Statues of the archangels St Michel (left) and St Raphael (right) are standing on both sides of it. On top of the altar sits the sculpture of a dove representing the Holy Spirit. Below Godfather and -son are sitting left and right of the globe accompagnied by for cherubs with wings and some clouds they seem to discuss something. A halfround gloriole is placed on the backside of the altar. The two vases and the ornaments make the altar look like elegant.
Construction / Execution
The complete altar and its decoration are made by wood. The surfaces have a polychrome layer or a gilding.
Components
- Carpentry
- The altar for the chapel of Georg Konrad Sauer in the old church of S. John Baptist in Munich-Solln
- Completed: 1760
- Technique(s): sawing, wood carving
- Material(s): wood
- Sculpture
- The altar for the chapel of Georg Konrad Sauer in the old church of St John Baptist, Munich-Solln
- Author: Johann Baptist Straub (Wiesensteig ca. 1704 – Munich 1784)
- Completed: 1760
- Technique(s): wood carving
- Material(s): wood
- Polychromy
- The altar for the chapel of Georg Konrad Sauer in the old church of St John Baptist, Munich-Solln
- Technique(s): water gilding
- Material(s): gold leaf, silver leaf
- Painting
- The altar for the chapel of Georg Konrad Sauer in the old church of St John Baptist, Munich-Solln
- Technique(s): oil on canvas
Comment
As a proof for the former function of the altar on the backside of the painting was found an inscription when it was restored in 1956.
"Ad maiorem Sanctissimae Triados, Passionisque Dominicae gloriam, ac honorem Divi Joannis Baptistae, Sanctorumque, quorum imagines hic sunt, & totius Curiae Coelestis Georgius Conradus Sauer Commercii Consiliarius, & Maria Anna Relingerin eius conjuxhanc una cum statuis aram fieri, erigique curaverunt. Anno reparatae salutis MDCCLX"
Some parts of the altar are lost e.g. the tabernacle it can be seen that its architecture was adapted to the new place.
There is a documentation of the arvchival documents by Dr. Stefan Nadler and Sabine John (1996)
Conservation-restoration
- 1956
Treatment Description
We onlyknow that the painting was restored in 1956. The inscription on the backside was discovered.
- 1998
Strategy: removing one or several historic repolychromies, removing varnish
Treatment Description
Removing painting layers of younger restorations (flesh tone and marbeling), Fixing, fillings and retouching. Retouching with Schmincke Horadam Aquarell. New varnish with dammar. In the lower part the marbeling was reconstructed.
Images
- The altar for the chapel of Georg Konrad Sauer in the old church of St John Baptist, Munich-Solln photo Bavarian Office of Monuments and Sites Michael Forstner 04.2018
- The altar for the chapel of Georg Konrad Sauer in the old church of St John Baptist, Munich-Solln photo Bavarian Office of Monuments and Sites Michael Forstner 04.2018
Catalogue entry prepared by Rupert Karbacher
Recommended citation: Rupert Karbacher, The altar for the chapel of Georg Konrad Sauer in the old church St John Baptist, Munich-Solln, in: TrArS – Tracing the Art of the Straub Family, 2018, (accessed 18/11/2025) URL
