Relief Madonna and Child above a Portal in the Courtyard of the Building in Keplerstraße 23, Graz
Type
Sculpture
Critical History
Originally the sandstone relief of the Madonna and Child was situated above the main portal of the building.1 Now it is attached above the entrance to the garage in the inner courtyard. It is a very sentimental depiction of Mary holding the baby Jesus on her lap. Her cheek touches the head of her son, their eyes are closed. Her voluminous robe fills most of the round picture area, which is surrounded by leaf-, scroll- and lattice-work. The sculpture is attributable to Philipp Jakob Straub’s early period, which was already characterised by his personal style (accurate composition of body, clothing and physiognomy).2
Construction / Execution
The relief is made of carved sandstone.
Components
Sculpture
Author: Philipp Jakob Straub (Wiesensteig 1706 – Graz 1774)
Completed: 1735 – 1740
Technique(s): stone carving
Material(s): sandstone
Conservation-restoration
1974
Treatment Description
The relief was restored in 1974.3 It shows good conservation status, but a gentle surface-cleaning would be necessary.
Images
The relief Madonna and Child in the inner courtyard of Keplerstraße 23, Graz (photo by Anja Lindbichler, 2018)
Madonna and Child, detail, Keplerstraße 23, Graz (photo by Anja Lindbichler, 2018)
Madonna and Child, detail, Keplerstraße 23, Graz (photo by Anja Lindbichler, 2018)
Catalogue entry prepared by Eva Klein and Christina Pichler
Recommended citation: Eva Klein and Christina Pichler, Relief Madonna and Child above a Portal in the Courtyard of the Building in Keplerstraße 23, Graz, in: TrArS – Tracing the Art of the Straub Family, 2018, (accessed 19/10/2025) URL
Sources and Bibliography
Dehio. Die Kunstdenkmäler Österreichs. Graz, Wien, Verlag Anton Schroll & Co, 1979
Österreichische Kunsttopographie Bd LIII. Die Kunstdenkmäler der Stadt Graz. Die Profanbauten des I. Bezirkes. Altstadt, Wien, Bundesdenkmalamt, 1997
Horst Schweigert, Philipp Jakob Straub (1706–1774). Ein Grazer Barockbildhauer, in: Studien zur Kunstgeschichte Steiermarks, Horst Schweigert (ed.), Kumberg, Sublilium Schaffer Verlag, 1992, 309–329
