Carl Kundmann (15 June 1838,
Vienna
en, Viennese
, iso_code = AT-9
, registration_plate = W
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, postal_code =
, timezone = CET
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, timezone_DST ...
– 9 June 1919, Vienna) was an Austrian sculptor, best known for his works which adorn the area around the
Ringstraße
The Vienna Ring Road (german: Ringstraße, lit. ''ring road'') is a 5.3 km (3.3 mi) circular grand boulevard that serves as a ring road around the historic Innere Stadt (Inner Town) district of Vienna, Austria. The road is located on sites where ...
project.
Life and work
Kundmann studied at the
Academy of Fine Arts Vienna
The Academy of Fine Arts Vienna (german: link=no, Akademie der bildenden Künste Wien) is a public art school in Vienna, Austria.
History
The Academy of Fine Arts Vienna was founded in 1692 as a private academy modelled on the Accademia di Sa ...
. After six years, he went to
Dresden
Dresden (, ; Upper Saxon: ''Dräsdn''; wen, label=Upper Sorbian, Drježdźany) is the capital city of the German state of Saxony and its second most populous city, after Leipzig. It is the 12th most populous city of Germany, the fourth larg ...
to study with
Ernst Julius Hähnel
Ernst Julius Hähnel (9 March 1811, Dresden – 22 May 1891, Dresden) was a German sculptor and Professor at the Dresden Academy of Fine Arts.
He is especially remembered for his public statuary. His works of art can be admired throughout Germ ...
, who had a major influence on his style.
[Ilse Krumpöck: ''Die Bildwerke im Heeresgeschichtlichen Museum''. Wien 2004, S. 100] From 1865 to 1867 he lived in Rome, where he worked on designs for a
Schubert Monument to be placed in the
Stadtpark which had been commissioned by the
Vienna Men's Choral Society and financed by
Nikolaus Dumba
Nikolaus Dumba (Greek: Νικόλαος Δούμπας; 24 July 1830, Vienna – 23 March 1900, Budapest) was an Austrian industrialist and liberal politician. He is considered to have been an important patron of the arts and music and a benefact ...
, an industrialist patron of the arts. Where to place the statue was the subject of much debate. Mayor
Andreas Zelinka wanted it to be placed in a prominent position but, in 1868, the Artistic Advisory Board prevailed, selecting a more "intimate" location between trees on the edge of the lawn. The foundation was laid that same year and the monument (with three reliefs by
Theophil Hansen
Baron Theophil Edvard von Hansen (; original Danish name: Theophilus Hansen ; 13 July 1813 – 17 February 1891) was a Danish architect who later became an Austrian citizen. He became particularly well known for his buildings and structures in ...
) was unveiled in 1872. The work was such a success that it earned Kundmann a professorship at the Academy, where he taught until his retirement in 1909.
Christian Behrens is probably his best known student.
In 1872, Kundmann entered a competition to create parts of a memorial to the Archduchess
Maria Theresa
Maria Theresa Walburga Amalia Christina (german: Maria Theresia; 13 May 1717 – 29 November 1780) was ruler of the Habsburg dominions from 1740 until her death in 1780, and the only woman to hold the position ''suo jure'' (in her own right). ...
, to be placed between the
Naturhistorisches Museum
The Natural History Museum Vienna (german: Naturhistorisches Museum Wien) is a large natural history museum located in Vienna, Austria. It is one of the most important natural history museums worldwide.
The NHM Vienna is one of the largest museum ...
and the
Kunsthistorisches Museum
The Kunsthistorisches Museum ( "Museum of Art History", often referred to as the "Museum of Fine Arts") is an art museum in Vienna, Austria. Housed in its festive palatial building on the Vienna Ring Road, it is crowned with an octagonal do ...
, under the direction of
Kaspar von Zumbusch
Kaspar lemens EduardZumbusch (23 November 1830 – 27 September 1915), as of 1888 Ritter von Zumbusch (a nobiliary particle), was a German sculptor, born at Herzebrock, Westphalia, who became a pre-eminent sculptor of neo-Baroque monuments in Vi ...
. Kundmann received commissions for several statues at both museums. He also worked on memorials to
Franz Grillparzer
Franz Seraphicus Grillparzer (15 January 1791 – 21 January 1872) was an Austrian writer who was considered to be the leading Austrian dramatist of the 19th century. His plays were and are frequently performed at the famous Burgtheater in Vien ...
and
Wilhelm von Tegetthoff
Wilhelm von Tegetthoff (23 December 18277 April 1871) was an Austrian admiral. He commanded the fleet of the North Sea during the Second Schleswig War of 1864, and the Austro-Prussian War of 1866. He is often considered by some Austrian historia ...
, as well as sculptures for the
City hall
In local government, a city hall, town hall, civic centre (in the UK or Australia), guildhall, or a municipal building (in the Philippines), is the chief administrative building of a city, town, or other municipality. It usually houses ...
, the new wing of the
Hofburg Palace
The Hofburg is the former principal imperial palace of the Habsburg dynasty. Located in the centre of Vienna, it was built in the 13th century and expanded several times afterwards. It also served as the imperial winter residence, as Schönbrunn ...
and the arcades of the
University of Vienna
The University of Vienna (german: Universität Wien) is a public research university located in Vienna, Austria. It was founded by Duke Rudolph IV in 1365 and is the oldest university in the German-speaking world. With its long and rich histor ...
. His studio was located at
Wiener Gürtel Straße Nr. 3.
A few weeks after his death, a street in
Landstraße
Landstraße (; Central Bavarian: ''Laundstrossn'') is the 3rd municipal district of Vienna, Austria (german: 3. Bezirk). It is near the center of Vienna and was established in the 19th century. Landstraße is a heavily populated urban area with ...
was renamed the ''Kundmanngasse'' in his honor.
Major works
* 1867–1873: Statues of
Rudolf I of Germany
Rudolf I (1 May 1218 – 15 July 1291) was the first King of Germany from the House of Habsburg. The first of the count-kings of Germany, he reigned from 1273 until his death.
Rudolf's election marked the end of the Great Interregnum which h ...
,
Leopold I, Margrave of Austria
Leopold I (also ''Luitpold''; 940 – 10 July 994), known as the Illustrious (german: der Erlauchte), a member of the House of Babenberg, was Margrave of Austria from 976 until his death.Lingelbach 1913, p. 89. He was the first margrave of the Bab ...
,
Prince Eugene of Savoy
Prince Eugene Francis of Savoy–Carignano, (18 October 1663 – 21 April 1736) better known as Prince Eugene, was a Generalfeldmarschall, field marshal in the army of the Holy Roman Empire and of the Austrian Habsburg dynasty during the 17th a ...
and
Charles Bonaventure de Longueval in the Feldherrenhalle of the
Heeresgeschichtlichen Museum in the
Arsenal
An arsenal is a place where arms and ammunition are made, maintained and repaired, stored, or issued, in any combination, whether privately or publicly owned. Arsenal and armoury (British English) or armory (American English) are mostly ...
.
* 1877: Competition for the Grillparzer Monument in the
Volksgarten: Kundmann was commissioned to do the main figure and
Rudolf Weyr
Rudolf Weyr, from 14 May 1911, Rudolf Ritter von Weyr (22 March 1847, Vienna - 30 October 1914, Vienna) was an Austrian sculptor in the Neo-Baroque style.
Life
He studied under Franz Bauer and Josef Cesar and was employed by the latter fo ...
did the relief panels. The monument was unveiled in 1889.
* 1886 Tegetthoff Monument in the Praterstern (a square in the
Leopoldstadt
Leopoldstadt (; bar, Leopoidstod, "Leopold-Town") is the 2nd municipal district of Vienna (german: 2. Bezirk) in Austria. there are 103,233 inhabitants over . It is situated in the heart of the city and, together with Brigittenau (20th distr ...
district).
* 1898 – 1902 Athene Fountain in front of the
Austrian Parliament Building.
References
Further reading
*
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kundmann, Carl
1838 births
1919 deaths
Austrian male sculptors
20th-century Austrian sculptors
19th-century Austrian sculptors
19th-century Austrian male artists
20th-century Austrian male artists