Josef Anton Stammel or, in some sources, Josef Thaddäus Stammel (baptized 9 September 1695,

Graz Graz (; sl, Gradec) is the capital city of the Austrian state of Styria and second-largest city in Austria after Vienna. As of 1 January 2021, it had a population of 331,562 (294,236 of whom had principal-residence status). In 2018, the popu ...

- 21 December 1765,

Admont Admont is a town in the Austrian state of Styria. It is historically most notable for Admont Abbey, a monastery founded in 1074. Gesäuse National Park, in which Admont lies, is an area of outstanding beauty. The town is situated in the middle of ...

) was an Austrian sculptor in the Baroque style.

Life and work

He was the third of six children born to the Bavarian sculptor, Johann Georg Stämbl (c. 1660-1707), and his wife Katharina; daughter of the court sculptor at Eggenberg Palace, Andreas Marx (died 1701). Little is known of his early life. The sculptors Johann Zeilinger (or Zeiringer) and have been named as possible teachers. Between 1718 and 1725, he is known to have been taking a study trip throughout Italy. After 1726, he worked almost exclusively for the Benedictines at

Admont Abbey Admont Abbey (german: Stift Admont) is a Benedictine monastery located on the Enns River in the town of Admont, Austria. The oldest remaining monastery in Styria, Admont Abbey contains the largest monastic library in the world as well as a lo ...

and its parishes. His work was a combination of two styles; Alpine, showing the influence of and , and Italian, with influences that can be traced to

Gianlorenzo Bernini Gian Lorenzo (or Gianlorenzo) Bernini (, , ; Italian Giovanni Lorenzo; 7 December 159828 November 1680) was an Italian sculptor and architect. While a major figure in the world of architecture, he was more prominently the leading sculptor of his ...

and

Giuseppe Maria Mazza Giuseppe Maria Mazza (13 May 1653 – 6 June 1741) was one of the leading sculptors of Bologna, Italy, in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. He was trained as a painter, but is best known for his fine sculptural work in terracotta and stucco. ...

. He was also an admirer of the works of Albrecht Dürer. The only fully-documented influence on him came from the painter and engraver, Gottfried Bernhard Göz, who also worked at the Abbey and provided the sketches for some of Stammel's sculptures. He used wood, as well as stone, often modelled in wax, and his figures are noted for their strong emotional expressions. Groups of figures are often theatrically staged. Although "Thaddäus" is sometimes given as his middle name, it was apparently a

nickname A nickname is a substitute for the proper name of a familiar person, place or thing. Commonly used to express affection, a form of endearment, and sometimes amusement, it can also be used to express defamation of character. As a concept, it is ...

of unknown origin. It first appeared in 1834, in a work by Ignaz Kollmann (1775-1837), a poet and novelist who also wrote art criticism.

Sources

* * Michael Braunsteiner (Ed.): "Famosus statuarius Josef Stammel. 1695–1765. Barockbildhauer im Auftrag des Benediktinerstiftes Admont", ''Schriften zur Kunst- und Kulturgeschichte des Benediktinerstiftes Admont'', Vol.1, , Benediktinerstift, Admont 1996. * Michael Braunsteiner (Ed.): "Barockbildhauer Josef Stammel. 1695–1765. Spurensuche", ''Schriften zur Kunst- und Kulturgeschichte des Benediktinerstiftes Admont'', Vol. 4. Benediktinerstift, Admont 1997 * Horst Schweigert: ''Die Barockbildhauer Johannes Georg und Josef Stammel. Eine stilkritische und rezeptionsgeschichtliche Untersuchung'', Leykam, Graz 2004, * * Anton Mayr (Ed.): ''Die Werke des Plastikers Josef Thaddäus Stammel in Admont und anderen Orten (gest. 1765)'', Vienna, Schroll, 1912

Gallery

Stammel OSWALD.jpg

External links

*
Josef Stammel - Die Vier Letzten Dinge
@ the Benediktinerstift Admont Library {{DEFAULTSORT:Stammel, Josef 1695 births 1765 deaths Austrian sculptors Religious sculptures Artists from Graz