Johannes Benk (27 July 1844, in

Vienna en, Viennese , iso_code = AT-9 , registration_plate = W , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = , timezone = CET , utc_offset = +1 , timezone_DST ...

– 12 March 1914, in Vienna) was an Austrian monumental sculptor.

Biography

His father, János Benk (1814–1895), was a decorative sculptor and

stonemason Stonemasonry or stonecraft is the creation of buildings, structures, and sculpture using stone as the primary material. It is one of the oldest activities and professions in human history. Many of the long-lasting, ancient shelters, temples, mo ...

from

Osijek Osijek () is the fourth-largest city in Croatia, with a population of 96,848 in 2021. It is the largest city and the economic and cultural centre of the eastern Croatian region of Slavonia, as well as the administrative centre of Osijek-Baranja ...

. After completing his primary education, he studied with the sculptor,

Franz Bauer __NOTOC__ Franz Andreas Bauer (later Francis) (14 March 1758 – 11 December 1840) was an Austrian microscopist and botanical artist. Born in Feldsberg, Lower Austria (now Valtice, Czech Republic), he was the son of Lucas Bauer (died 1761), cou ...

, then went to Dresden, where he studied at the

Academy of Fine Arts The following is a list of notable art schools. Accredited non-profit art and design colleges * Adelaide Central School of Art * Alberta College of Art and Design * Art Academy of Cincinnati * Art Center College of Design * The Art Institute o ...

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 ...

. He participated in several competitions for monumental sculpture, gaining notice with his designs for statues of

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 ...

Beethoven Ludwig van Beethoven (baptised 17 December 177026 March 1827) was a German composer and pianist. Beethoven remains one of the most admired composers in the history of Western music; his works rank amongst the most performed of the classical ...

and the Empress

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). ...

, although none of those designs were realized. In 1862, the Academy awarded him its

Gundel-Prize The Gundel Prize (German: Gundel-Preis) was awarded annually by the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna en, Viennese , iso_code = AT-9 , registration_plate = W , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code ...

for excellence. A scholarship enabled him to study in Rome and Florence from 1870 to 1871. Upon returning, he opened a studio in his father's home. He soon became popular and attracted a notable patron;

Baron Karl von Hasenauer Baron Karl von Hasenauer (german: Karl Freiherr von Hasenauer ) (20 July 1833 – 4 January 1894) was an important Austrian architect and key representative of the Historismus school. He created several Neo-Baroque monuments, many around near ...

. His major works include a group of

allegorical As a literary device or artistic form, an allegory is a narrative or visual representation in which a character, place, or event can be interpreted to represent a hidden meaning with moral or political significance. Authors have used allegory th ...

statues, representing Austria, for the staircase at the Hofwaffenmuseums (Court Weapons Museum, now the Museum of Military History) and the , honoring an army regiment, on 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 ...

. From 1872, he was a member of the

Vienna Künstlerhaus The Künstlerhaus in Vienna’s 1st district has accommodated the Künstlerhaus Vereinigung since 1868. It is located in the Ringstrassenzone in between Akademiestraße, Bösendorferstraße and Musikvereinsplatz. The building was erected betw ...

and, from 1887, a member of "Pensionsgesellschaft bildender Künstler", a charity for needy sculptors. In 1887, he was named a Knight in the

Order of Franz Joseph The Imperial Austrian Order of Franz Joseph (german: Kaiserlich-Österreichischer Franz-Joseph-Orden) was founded by Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria on 2 December 1849, on the first anniversary of his accession to the imperial throne. Classes ...

and, the following year, was awarded the

Order of the Iron Crown The Order of the Iron Crown ( it, link=no, Ordine della Corona Ferrea) was an order of merit that was established on 5 June 1805 in the Kingdom of Italy by Napoleon Bonaparte under his title of Napoleon I, King of Italy. The order took its name ...

, third class. After he died, his studio passed to his son. As part of a project to extend the Apollogasse, his son accepted a payment of 100,000 Krone, and the building was demolished.. In 1924, a street in Veinna's

Hietzing Hietzing () is the 13th municipal District of Vienna (german: 13. Bezirk, Hietzing). It is located west of the central districts, west of Meidling. Hietzing is a heavily populated urban area with many residential buildings, but also contains lar ...

district was named after him..

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Benk, Johannes 1844 births 1914 deaths Austrian sculptors Academy of Fine Arts Vienna alumni Recipients of the Order of Franz Joseph Artists from Vienna

Biography

References

Further reading

External links