Location
Slovenia, Ruše
Parish Church of St Mary (Župnijska cerkev sv. Marije)
Artwork
Organ Decoration in the Parish Church of St Mary in Ruše
Type
Organ case
Dimensions
Height: 950 cm, width: 1000 cm, depth: 750 cm
Critical History
The organs in the Parish Church of St Mary in Ruše was made by the organ master Joannes Franciscus Janechek.1 It is said that the organ loft was enlarged by the carpenter Franz Leeb in 1753.2 Sergej Vrišer attributed the organ decoration to Joseph Straub.3 The polychromy was done by Franz Assecla and Dominicus Cocconi in 1755.4 The latter also depicted St Gregory and St Cecilia on the side organ cases as well as the scenes of miracles on the loft enclosure.5
All the three organ cases are decorated. On the main organ case, there is a sculpture of King David with a harp, and six putti musicians. On the side cases, there are two bigger angels with trumpets. The sculptures of angels are of high quality – they have elegant postures, draperies fluttering to the sides, and faces with the significant characteristics of Joseph Straub's personal style (big open eyes, round chin, curly hair). They are similar to the sculptures of putti on the organ decoration in Sladka Gora.
Based on old photographs, we know which instruments were placed in the hands of the sculptures of putti. The putto on the top left used to hold a book, and the putto on the right side played a triangle. Both attributes are lost today, but the putto on the right is holding tromba marina, which was in the hands of the putto below him.6 The putto in the left middle side is holding a lyre. Although some instruments are lost, we can see that some archaic instruments as well as some contemporary instruments were used.
Construction / Execution
The organ case and decoration are made of wood. The wooden balcony of the loft is decorated with a metal net. There are five paintings on wood placed in the prolonged loft balcony under the loft eclosure. There are two paintings on wood on both the side closets on which the angels are standing. The architecture imitates marble in blue and brown shades. The ornaments, sculpture drapery and angel wings imitate gold.
Components
- Concept/design
- Organs
- Author: Joannes Franciscus Janechek (Poděbrady? ca. 1697 – Celje? 1778)
- Carpentry
- Carpentry
- Author: Franz Leeb
- Completed: ca. 1753 –
- Technique(s): sawing
- Material(s): softwood
- Sculpture
- Sculpture
- Author: Joseph Straub (Wiesensteig 1712 – Maribor 1756)
- Completed: ca. 1755
- Technique(s): wood carving
- Material(s): limewood
- Polychromy
- Polychromy
- Author: Dominicus Cagoni
- Completed: 1755
- Technique(s): oil, water gilding
- Material(s): calcium carbonate, gold leaf, red bole, size
- Polychromy
- First repolychromy
- Technique(s): oil, oil gilding
- Material(s): gold leaf
Comment
The repolychromy was done with oil paint imitating wood . Repolychromy was removed during restoration. The restored first polychromy is visible. There is some damage on polychromy on exposed places where the choir singers sit or stand during the service.
Conservation-restoration
- 1944
Strategy: removing dirt, removing one or several historic repolychromies
Approach to the presentation of losses
Reintegration of lacunae – mimetic: total
Reintegration of losses – other: total
Treatment Description
The restoration of the organ was made in 1994 by the Maribor Regional Office of the Institute for the Protection of Cultural Heritage of Slovenia.
Images
- The organ in the Parish Church of St Mary in Ruše (Institute for the Protection of Cultural Heritage of Slovenia, photo by Valentin Benedik, 2018)
- The sculpture of an angel on the organ case in Ruše (Institute for the Protection of Cultural Heritage of Slovenia, photo by Valentin Benedik, 2018)
- The sculpture of an angel on the organ case in Ruše (Institute for the Protection of Cultural Heritage of Slovenia, photo by Valentin Benedik, 2018)
- The sculpture of a putto on the organ case in Ruše (Institute for the Protection of Cultural Heritage of Slovenia, photo by Valentin Benedik, 2018)
- The sculpture of a putto on the organ case in Ruše (Institute for the Protection of Cultural Heritage of Slovenia, photo by Valentin Benedik, 2018)
- The sculpture of a putto on the organ case in Ruše (Institute for the Protection of Cultural Heritage of Slovenia, photo by Valentin Benedik, 2018)
Catalogue entry prepared by Valentina Pavlič and Saša Dolinšek
Recommended citation: Valentina Pavlič and Saša Dolinšek, Organ Decoration in the Parish Church of St Mary in Ruše, in: TrArS – Tracing the Art of the Straub Family, 2018, (accessed 24/10/2025) URL
