TYROLEAN CHRISTMAS. PAINTINGS BY J. B. OBERKOFLER (1895-1969)
23 November 2018 - 6 January 2019
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Johann Baptist Oberkofler (1895-1969) was the last great church painter in South Tyrol. In atmospheric Christmas pictures he captured the cold winter night in the mountains as well as the warmth and light emanating from the newborn Christ Child. His sacred works corresponded to the deep piety of the local people and enjoyed great popularity.
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TRIUMPH OF THE BAROQUE. PAINTINGS FROM 1600 TO 1800
28 April 2018 - 31 October 2018
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Baroque art is triumphant art of expression. This is also evident in paintings.
The exhibition draws on the Hofburg's extensive holdings and shows paintings from the early beginnings around 1600 to the late phase around 1800. A feast for the eyes.
Never before were people so familiar with heaven and life with the celestials as in the Baroque era. Stories from the Bible, depictions of the lives of Saints, depictions of Mary with the baby Jesus - they all show the ups and downs of life.
Famous painters from Tyrol as well as nationally important artists created altarpieces for churches and sacred paintings for private devotion. A selection of their works can be seen in the exhibition, including paintings by Stephan Kessler, Johann Georg Grasmair and Ulrich Glantschnigg, by Martin Theophil Polak, Karl Skreta and Johann Lingelbach. Paintings by Tyrolean Baroque painters who achieved fame in Vienna, such as Paul Troger, Michael Angelo Unterberger and Josef Ignaz Mildorfer, are also on display.
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Copies after famous masters played a major role in Baroque painting. They conveyed the intellectual concept of the original almost undiminished and contributed significantly to the popularity of individual pictorial motifs. A selection of high-quality copies is shown in the exhibition.
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In addition to altarpieces and religious works, portraits are also on display, some of them for the first time. Portraits displayed the power and wealth, education and status of the sitter. They represent the staging and self-portrayal of the clergy, nobility and bourgeoisie.
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A catalogue will be published to accompany the exhibition. In addition to the works shown in the exhibition, it contains all Baroque paintings from the permanent collection and the depots as well as the paintings and murals of the Baroque furnishings of the Hofburg. With its almost 700 works presented and the extensive pictorial material, the catalogue written by Johann Kronbichler is an indispensable basic work on Baroque art in South Tyrol. The catalogue, volume 4 of the Hofburg's publications, is available at the Hofburg and in bookshops.