The Secular Rococo
in
Austria and Germany
Imitation and Innovation
Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna
1695/6ff by
Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach
Much construction took place in central and eastern Europe after
the end of the Thirty Years’ War (1618-1648). Large numbers of
palaces, churches, and other buildings needed to be built in order to
replace those lost during this long and destructive war that ravaged
countries from Sweden to Bohemia.
The broad popularity of the architectural style that was identified
with the French court and the Bourbon dynasty cannot be
underestimated as a cultural phenomenon of the late 17th and the
18th centuries. The expression of the absolute power of the “Sun
King” (Le roi soleil) was widely imitated throughout continental
Europe by princes, dukes, and minor nobility, even by the
Hapsburgs (the Holy Roman imperial family in Vienna).
The impact of Italian artisans on the building projects of central
Europe also contributed to the unique style that developed there.
In 1690, a young Austrian architect with the formidable name of
Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach (1656-1723) proposed a plan for
the new palace of Emperor Leopold I and the Hapsburg family just
outside Vienna.
Schönbrunn Palace reflects the precedents set by Louis XIV in its
suburban location, in its vast size, and in its effort to represent the
power of the Holy Roman imperial family through the imposition of
human will on the site.
After comparing the original scheme with the available budget,
Fischer von Erlach produced this more modest design. It was
covered in stucco and painted; stone was reserved for selected details.
Schönbrunn Palace with its
park, including formal
gardens in the manner of
Versailles, is much smaller
than its French model.
The interior of Schönbrunn is more nearly approaches the quality of
Versailles, although executed in less expensive materials: principally
stucco, paint, and gold leaf. The color palette is typically rococo.
The intimate scale of the
rococo and its interest in
the layering of
architectural space with
illusionistic space can be
seen in these rooms at
Schönbrunn.
The Belvedere Palace
of Prince Eugene of Savoy
1721-23
by
Johan Lukas von Hildebrandt
Another Austrian architect rose to prominence in the early 17th
century: Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt (1668-1745). One of his
most important commissions was the Belvedere Palace for Prince
Eugene of Savoy (1721-23). Well connected with the French court
through his mother, Olympia Mancini, Prince Eugene was educated
as an officer. He was denied his commission in the French army
when his mother fell out of favor.
He was also distantly related to Leopold I of Austria, and therefore
offered his services to the Austrian house. In 1683, at the age of 20,
he was instrumental in driving the Turks back from the borders of
Vienna and pushing them back into southeastern Europe. For his
high accomplishments, the emperor built him the Belvedere palace
on a hill outside of Vienna. Prince Eugene never married and had no
heirs; so the Hapsburg family acquired the palace after his death.
Maria Theresia installed several of her 18 children in the Belvedere
since there was not enough room for them at Schönbrunn.
Another important quality of the
rococo emerges in the Belevedere
Palace: playfulness and fantasy in
concept as well in detail.
The “Residenz” of the Prince
Bishop of Wuerzburg (Bavaria)
1724-44 by Balthasar Neumann
(and others)
with Giovanni Tiepolo
Coaches would drive into this enclosed porte cochere and drop their
passengers off so that they could approach the stair case (German:
“Treppenhaus”) and begin the ritual of arrival as prescribed by the
etiquette of the Spanish court.
A visitor’s station as compared
with the Prince Bishop would
determine how far down the
stair the host would descend
and how high up the stair the
visitor would ascend in order to
exchange greetings.
The White Room forms the
transition from the stair hall to the
“Imperial Salon” (Kaisersaal).
The Kaisersaal is decorated in a classic rococo palette of white walls,
pale pinks, creams, and gilding, with a blanket of illusory space.
The material of the room is predominantly stucco with faux
finishes that represent marble. Stone is found at the wall bases.
Mixtures of two- and threedimensional elements for illusion
Betrothal of Beatrix of Burgundy to H.R.E. Frederick Barbarossa in 1156
The bridal journey of Beatrix of Burgundy in the sun chariot of Apollo