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VALENTINA PAVLIČ

JOSEPH STRAUB

STATE OF RESEARCH

The first to introduce the Straub family of sculptors – and Joseph Straub in particular – to Slovene art history was Avguštin Stegenšek, who in 1911 wrote the article about Virgin Mary`s columns discussing, among other monuments, the Plague Column in Maribor’s main square.1 However, a more comprehensive and system-atic investigation of some of the most fruitful periods in the history of art in the area of present-day Slovenia would have to wait for the next generation of art his-torians. The first to systematically research Baroque sculpture in Slovenia, especially in Slovene Styria, was Sergej Vrišer. He laid out individual phases in the de-velopment of seventeenth and eighteenth-century sculpture and provided stylistic descriptions for its main protagonists. Vrišer assembled the available bio-graphical data and proposed the œuvres of the sculp-tors – including that of Joseph Straub.2

In the last few decades, several researchers have made substantial contributions to our understanding of Joseph Straub’s life and work. Among them we should highlight Blaž Resman, whose meticulous efforts we have to thank for a clear view of Straub’s so-called “Lju-bljana period.” Using archival sources, Resman cast light on Straub’s employment in the workshop of sculp-tor Henrik Mihael Löhr, and provided a precise account

1 Stegenšek wrote an account of the history and circum-stances of the monument’s erection, shape, and iconogra-phy, transcribed its inscriptions, and outlined the monu-ment’s function and significance as well as the sculptor, Joseph Straub. Stegenšek stated that the monument was created either by Joseph Straub alone or in collaboration with his brother Philipp Jakob Straub, and that he is “in-troducing a previously unknown artist into Slovene his-tory” (Stegenšek 1911, 333).

2 Vrišer laid the foundations for future research with the article “Mariborski kiparji” (Vrišer 1957) and his over-view studies “Baročno kiparstvo na Štajerskem” (Vrišer 1963; Vrišer 1992).

of their (legal) disputes; importantly, he also highlight-ed Straub’s work in the Vipava Valley, which had previ-ously not been investigated sufficiently.3 He also doubt-ed whether Joseph Straub worked in stone at all.

In an article on the brothers Straub in Styria, Matej Klemenčič asserted that some attributions – particu-larly in the case of Philipp Jakob and Joseph Straub – should be reconsidered; in his view, the brothers’ œuvres are intertwined, and some of the attributions lack convincing evidence.4

Recent research has also made significant contri-butions. Writing my doctoral thesis, I focused on the stone sculptures by Joseph Straub and searched for

3 Through a close reading of archival sources, Resman de-termined that Straub created eight wooden statues, as well as the wooden tabernacle for the high altar and the pulpit for the parish church of St Stephen in Vipava in 1737 and 1738 (Resman 1998, 57). By the end of the eighteenth century the altar had been replaced, and any preserved fragments have not been found. Resman also attributed to Straub the altar from the Succursal Church of the Holy Trinity in Pasji rep in the Vipava Hills on the basis of a photograph, since the church had been demolished and its equipment destroyed (Resman 1988, 58). Part of the ar-chival sources investigated by Resman was first published by Julius Wallner in 1890 (Wallner 1890).

4 Klemenčič 2006.

Štanjel, parish church St Daniel, signature on the statue of St John of Nepomuk (ZVKDS, VB, 2017)Štanjel, župnijska cerkev sv. Danijela, kip sv. Janeza Nepomuka, podpis (ZVKDS, VB, 2017)

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68 ESSAYS

relevant archival sources which would complement the list of documented works of Joseph Straub.5 The previously unexamined archive of the Ehrenhausen (Ernovž) parish, kept at the Archive of the Diocese of Graz, revealed that the stone statues on the façade of the parish church of Our Lady of Sorrows in Ehren-hausen were in fact made by Joseph Straub (previously, the statues and the façade ornaments were attributed to Philipp Jakob Straub).6 The record of payment for stone statues, issued to Joseph Straub, also dispels any doubts about his stone-carving ability, and confirms he received commissions for works in stone.7 The pay-

5 A doctoral thesis with the title “Joseph Straub and Late Ba-roque Sculpture in Styria” will be defended in 2020.

6 DA Graz-Seckau, Pfarre Ehrenhausen, and Kirchen–Rait-tung (1758): “Inhalt No. 3 Hrn. Joseph Straub bildhauer Meister zu Mahrburg 70 [fl].” See Catalogue Joseph Straub 8. For attribution to Philipp Jakob Straub, see Dehio Steier-mark 1982, 78; Schweigert 1992, 7, 11; Schweigert 1996, 6–7.

7 Straub’s stone-carving ability, as well as his authorship of the Maribor Plague Column and the statues on the fa-çade of the parish church in Gornji Grad, were questioned

ment dated to 1758 – two years after Joseph’s death – suggests that his business affairs and unsettled claims were taken over by his widow.8 In particular, new re-search has focused on the continuity and handing over

by Resman 1998, 57–8. The archival record concerning the statues on the facade of the parish church in Ehren-hausen (Ernovž), and stylistic analyses in particular, show that these stone works can rightly be included in Joseph Straub’s œuvre, regardless of whether the statues were carved by the sculptor himself or someone working af-ter his modello – see Catalogue Joseph Straub 10 and 17. The same holds for the statues on the facade of the par-ish church of St Mary and St Margaret in Sladka Gora, the status of St Nicholas in Lovrenc na Pohorju, the statue of St John of Nepomuk in Slivnica near Maribor, and the stat-ues on the stairway to the church in Ptujska Gora. Further proof that Joseph Straub received commissions for works in stone is provided by the mention of this material in his workshop at the purchase of his craft rights (PAM, 1802, Zbirka zemljiških knjig gospoščin ter magistratov mest in trgov, 1713–1895, 1152).

8 There are other, similar cases of inheritance, since wid-ows were always legal heirs to the property and workshop of the deceased sculptor. One such example is the pay-

Maribor, Plague Monument on Maribor main square (old photograph) (Ferdinand Weizinger, ca. 1899; source: PMM)Maribor, Kužno znamenje na Glavnem trgu – stara fotografija (Ferdinand Weizinger, ok. 1899; vir: PMM)

NŠAM, Maribor – St John the Baptist, Marriage register 1, 1646–1748, Marriage register, 797 (NŠAM)NŠAM, Maribor – sv. Janez Krstnik, Poročna knjiga 1, 1646–1748, Poročna knjiga, 797 (NŠAM)

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69VALENTINA PAVLIČ: JOSEPH STRAUB

of the workshop, and thus mainly on Joseph Straub’s last works.9

LIFE AND WORK

Joseph Straub was born in 1712 in Wiesensteig; his bap-tism was recorded in the baptismal register of the par-ish church on March 17.10 There are no archival sources related to his youth and education in sculpture, so we can surmise that he was introduced to sculpture in his father’s workshop, as were his brothers. It is likely that

ment to the widow of sculptor Johann Georg Mersi in 1789 (NŠAM, ŽA Slovenj Gradec, šk. 33).

9 Pavlič 2017b; Kostanjšek Brglez, Roškar 2018.10 PfA Wiesensteig, Catalogus Baptizatorum (1709–54). I

thank Julia Strobl for providing the record from the bap-tismal register.

he perfected his craft working for his successful and influential older brother Philipp Jakob Straub, which is also supported by the stylistic similarities of their works. He probably worked in his brother’s workshop in Graz for a period of time and aided him in delivering commissioned works.11

The first record concerning Joseph Straub`s ca-reer is from 1736, when he worked as an assistant in the workshop of the sculptor Heinrich Michael Löhr in Ljubljana. He only stayed in town for a year, since his independent commissions landed him in a dispute.12 It is thanks to Löhr – whom Resman characterized as an

“indefatigable fighter for guild rights and, above all, his own” – that we know where Joseph Straub headed after his residence in Ljubljana.13

In 1737 and 1738 Straub was working in the parish church in Vipava,14 while the statues of St Joseph and St John of Nepomuk from the high altar of the parish church of St Daniel in Štanjel, which are Straub’s first documented works, date to 1741.15 Straub’s inscription on the base of the statue of St John of Nepomuk proudly bears – along with the date – his signature as sculptor and author of the design: “iose. stravp inventor scvlp. anno 1741” (see fig. 1).

The first record of Joseph Straub in Maribor dates to 1743 – the date of the chronogram on the Plague Column on Main Square, which is considered to be his earliest work in Maribor on the basis of his signature (today lost) (see fig. 2).16 Since making a Plague Column

11 Clear resemblances to the work of Joseph Straub can be seen in the statues on the façade of the Minorite church (Mariahilf) in Graz, and the statue of St Leopold on the altar of St John of Nepomuk in the parish church of the Holy Blood in Graz. We can see the hand of Joseph Straub in those works.

12 Resman 1998, 56. Previously, it had been assumed that Jo-seph Straub stayed in Ljubljana for as many as nine years (Vrišer 1957, 85; Vrišer 1963, 91, 167; Vrišer 1992, 127, 234). Taking independent commissions went against guild regulations.

13 Löhr mentioned Straub in relation to a protest against sculptors who were once assistants to the Ljubljana mas-ters, but went on to take independent commissions across the lands (Resman 1998, 56). Straub, who was employed in the Vipava parish at the time, is mentioned as one of them. Straub’s work in Vipava is again mentioned in a pat-ent which the Viceroy’s office issued in response to the aforementioned protest (Resman 1998, 56).

14 See note 3 above.15 The statues were first documented by Sergej Vrišer (Vrišer

1957, 85). See Catalogue Joseph Straub 50.16 On the pedestal of the statue of St John the Baptist,

Avguštin Stegenšek was able to read the inscription “ios.

Maribor – Studenci, parish church of St Joseph, high altar (old photograph). The altar is not preserved (Ferdinand Weizinger, ca. 1899; source: ZDZ Premzl)Maribor – Studenci, župnijska cerkev sv. Jožefa, veliki oltar – stara fotografija, oltar ni ohranjen (Ferdinand Weizinger, ok. 1899; vir: ZDZ Premzl)

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70 ESSAYS

can be considered the most prestigious town commis-sion, past researchers rightly questioned the likelihood that such an important task would be entrusted to Jo-seph Straub – a sculptor new to town, lacking creden-tials and at the beginning of his career.17

As the municipal archives from this period are not preserved, the commission and creation of the monu-ment can only be a matter of assumption. Of several interpretations,18 the most likely seems that the town offered the commission to the well-established and successful sculptor from the (then) capital city – Philipp Jakob Straub. Perhaps the brothers worked together in conceiving and carving the statues, or the commission was taken over and executed by Joseph alone. Any con-clusion is impossible in the absence of archival sources, as well as in light of the poor condition of the preserved monument, which precludes stylistic analysis.

The first mention of Joseph Straub in the registers of the parish of St John the Baptist in Maribor dates to June 27, 1746, when he married Maria Josepha Cowal-ter (see fig. 3).19 He lived in Maribor until his untimely death at the age of forty-four, and was buried on March 1, 1756.20 The deaths of his children which followed his own suggest that the family was struck by an infectious disease.21

The œuvre of sculptor Joseph Straub comprises a small number of documented works, and a much larger number of attributed ones. While the majority of his

Straub. Fi. Fecit” (Stegenšek 1911, 333), although the in-scription was already damaged in his time. France Stele transcribed the inscription on the pedestal of the statue of St John of Nepomuk – “joseph … invenit et” (Stele 1921, 8; Stele 1932, 17). Vrišer was later unable to read the inscrip-tion mentioned by Stegenšek, but could observe and tran-scribe the inscription on the pedestal of the statue of St Francis Xavier – “ioseph … inuenit et f …” (Vrišer 1957, 86; Vrišer 1963, 168; Vrišer 1992, 235).

17 See note 7 above.18 It was suggested by Kostanjšek Brglez and Roškar that Jo-

seph Hoffer took over the commission and invited Philipp Jakob Straub to collaborate (Kostanjšek Brglez, Roškar 2019, 6, 9).

19 NŠAM, Maribor – sv. Janez Krstnik, Register of Marriages, 1646–1748, 797: “Josephus Straub, Wisenstagensis ex Ba-varia, sculptor caelebs; D[ominus]: Joannis Georgii Straub et Barbarae eius conjugis leg[itimus] filius cum ingenua Virgine Maria Josepha. D[omina]: Andrea[e] Cowalter Mercatoris loci, [et] D: Catharina[e] eius consortis ambo-rum defunctorum filia leg[itima].”

20 NŠAM, Maribor – sv. Janez Krstnik, Register of Deaths, 1664–1762, 323 (324): “Martig 756 1ten ist begraben worden H. Joseph Straub bildhauer Meister.”

21 Vrišer 1957, 85; Vrišer 1963, 168; Vrišer 1992, 234.

works – altars, pulpits, and statues – were created for parish and succursal churches in Lower Styria, a few can also be found in Croatia and Hungary.

Straub’s major works are the high altar of the Church of St Joseph in Maribor – Studenci (see fig. 4) and the high altar and pulpit of the Minorite church in Ptuj (see fig. 5).22 Paradoxically, none of these works, created in 1750 and 1752, have survived intact, and are only known to us by photographs and preserved frag-ments. The high altar from Studenci was removed from the church at the end of the nineteenth century when Baroque art fell out of favour. Only the statues, which are today kept at the Regional Museum Maribor, were preserved.23 The high altar and pulpit of the Minorite church in Ptuj were destroyed in an Allied air raid on the monastery and church during the Second World

22 See catalogue Joseph Straub 28 and 34.23 In fact, these statues are a prized part of the Regional Mu-

seum Maribor’s art collection.

Ptuj, Minorite church of St Peter and Paul, high altar (old photograph). The altar is not preserved (MK RS, DKD, INDOK)Ptuj, minoritska cerkev sv. Petra in Pavla, veliki oltar – stara fotografija, oltar ni ohranjen (MK RS, DKD, INDOK)

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71VALENTINA PAVLIČ: JOSEPH STRAUB

War. Today, the preserved statues are installed above the main altar, and some of the remains are presented in the Chapel of St Anthony of Padua within the church, while the rest of the fragments and statues are dis-played in the monastery.

The archival sources not only provide proof of Straub’s authorship of the statues, but enable us to identify his collaborators. Carpentry on the high altar in Maribor – Studenci was carried out by the carpenter Franz Leeb, while the polychromy was executed by the painter Franc Beinlich in 1756.24 The carpenter Franc Leeb also worked with Straub in Ptuj, where the poly-chromy was carried out by painter Dominik Cocconi (Cagoni).25

24 It was common practice for the altars to get their poly-chromy at a later date.

25 See Catalogue Joseph Straub 34.

Maribor – Studenci, parish church of St Joseph, high altar, Religion, detail; today in PMM (ZVKDS, VB, 2018)Maribor – Studenci, župnijska cerkev sv. Jožefa, veliki oltar, kip Vere, detajl; danes v PMM (ZVKDS, VB, 2018)

6

Maribor – Studenci, parish church of St Joseph, high altar, statue of an angel, detail of shaping of the eyes; today in PMM; during restoration procedure (VP, 2019)Maribor – Studenci, župnijska cerkev sv. Jožefa, veliki oltar, kip angela, detajl oblikovanja oči; danes v PMM; med restavratorskimi posegi (VP, 2019)

7

The two altars served as a main reference in as-sembling Straub’s œuvre through stylistic comparison. Joseph Straub’s style is characterized by figures in right proportions and pronounced “contrapposto” (with prominent gestures), which imbue his male and female saints with naturalism and vividness. The distinct fea-tures of his style include facial features (wide-open, almond-shaped eyes, wavy hair, a straight nose and heart-shaped lips, a double or rounded, dimpled chin in female figures), drapery (laterally fluttering robes, the characteristic funnel-shaped folds, wide-open sleeves), and hands (expressively outstretched fingers, pronounced gestures, chubby fingers) (see fig.  6). On the other hand, Joseph Straub was always meticu-lous in the details of his figures – he carved muscles and veins, teeth that can be glimpsed in slightly open mouths, locks of hair, and even tear ducts in the eyes (see fig. 7). Several particularities of technique can also be seen in his work, such as chisel marks on the dra-pery, which left characteristic dents and increase the dynamism of the material, as well as the roughly hol-lowed posterior sides of the statues that allow wood to stretch and shrink.

72 ESSAYS

The architecture of Straub’s altars – with the excep-tion of the high altars in Areh and Rdeči Breg – follows the altar type of one or two pairs of columns flanking the central niche (larger altars have up to three or more pairs). In between the columns stand figures, while in some altars a figure also occupies the central niche. Sculptures of angels, putti, and angel heads are placed in the upper parts of the altars, supported by volutes.

Straub’s altars are lightly ornamented. Typical or-naments include garlands, rocaille, seashells, and S-curve designs – mostly executed in a robust and mas-sive style.26

26 An interesting ornamental detail of Straub’s altars is a “sponge-like structure”, which we find on the frame of the painting from the high altar in the Church of St Joseph in

One of Straub’s main commissioners were the Mi-norites, for whom he worked in Ptuj and Celje, as well as at some of their other holdings (e.g. Podlehnik, Vi-dem pri Ptuju, and Stoperce). The fact that his brother Philipp Jakob Straub had previously worked for the Mi-norites in Graz likely contributed to Joseph receiving commissions from the order.

In addition to the Minorites, Joseph also worked for the Franciscans – he created the high altar for their church in Ormož (today located in the Succursal Church of St Ignatius of Loyola in Rdeči Breg), as well as the high altars of the Franciscan churches in Čakovec (under patronage of Countess Ana Maria Althan, born

Studenci, and in the centre of the shell in the attic of the high altar in the Church of St Henry in Areh na Pohorju.

Spodnja Polskava, parish church of St Stephen, miniature statute St John of Nepomuk, detail (ZVKDS, VB, 2018)

Spodnja Polskava, župnijska cerkev sv. Štefana, miniaturni kip sv. Janeza Nepomuka, detajl (ZVKDS, VB, 2018)

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73VALENTINA PAVLIČ: JOSEPH STRAUB

Pignatelli, whose coat of arms is displayed on the al-tar) and Nagykanizsa.27 This shows the substantial role that monastic orders and their networks of monaster-ies played in the dissemination of Straub’s works be-yond Styria.

As far as commissions go, we should also highlight the altar of St John of Nepomuk (of which only the stat-ue of St John of Nepomuk has been preserved), which Straub made at the wish of Sister Cecilia, the prioress of the Ursuline church in Varaždin.28 We can assume that a similar desire to obtain works from the best and most-acclaimed masters (one of whom was undoubt-edly Joseph Straub) motivated other patrons as well (who were, in addition to monks, mainly parish priests).

COOPERATION BETWEEN THE BROTHERS

The oft-mentioned stylistic affinities between the works of the Straub brothers (Joseph and Philipp Jakob) can be seen as a result of their early collaboration, when young Joseph (most likely) worked in his brother’s workshop for a period of time. Their later collaboration has received less attention. It is interesting that Philipp Jakob married a women from Maribor. We can assume that the brothers kept in contact throughout their lives, since Joseph acted as witness to his brother Philipp Jakob’s second marriage to Maria Anna Duhn.29 Aside from personal contacts, the brothers collaborated pro-fessionally, and probably to a far greater extent than is thought today. In addition to the aforementioned (probable) collaboration on the Plague Column, it is likely that they worked shoulder to shoulder on the side altars of the parish church of St Peter in Malečnik.30

Another interesting case is the altar of the Holy Cross in the parish church of St Mary of the Assump-tion in Jarenina, which contains characteristic ele-

27 See Catalogue Joseph Straub 5 and 30.28 Lentić 1971, 12. See Catalogue Joseph Straub 52.29 NŠAM, Maribor – sv. Janez Krstnik, Record of Marriages

2, 1749–1836, 20: “Capulat[us] est D[ominus]: Philippus Jacobus Straub Parochianus Gradensis Viduus, statuaria artis m[agiste]r, cum nobili ac virtuosa Virgine Maria Anna, Nobilis D[omin]i Desiderii Duhn Senatoris loci, et Maria[e] Anna[e] eius consortis leg[itima] filia, parochiana Marburgensi. Testes erant. D[ominus] Josephus Straub, et D[ominus]: Antonius Koberwein. Asistens Ferdinand Was-serman Parochus.”

30 The polychromy of the altars was carried out by Dominik Cocconi in 1746. Vrišer took this information from the chronicle (Vrišer 1957, 118; Vrišer 1976, 12).

ments of both Joseph Straub’s and his brother’s styles, thus indicating a possible close collaboration.

If the brothers – Joseph and Philipp Jakob – were indeed as strongly connected as it appears, it is also reasonable to assume that after Joseph’s death Philipp Jakob came to the aid of his sister-in-law, as this would represent a continuation of their collaboration.

Because of the close stylistic affinity of Joseph Holzinger’s (mainly early) works with those of Straub, the former was commonly assumed to be Straub’s as-sistant, as well as successor,31 with both assumptions recently confirmed by archival sources.

Until now, the literature has commonly cited the fact that Joseph Holzinger bought the house with the sculptor’s craft rights from Straub’s widow Josepha on March 2, 1758.32 However, a review of archival sources has shown that the agreement had already been con-cluded on September 16, 1756, although it was only entered in the land register on March 2, 1758.33 The contract explicitly names Joseph Holzinger as Straub’s sculptural assistant.34 In light of the new date of the purchase of craft rights, it is evident that Holzinger was indeed Straub’s immediate successor with regards to the workshop, which he went on to manage success-fully, taking on numerous commissions in Styria and neighbouring lands over the following decades.35

FURTHER QUESTIONS

There are further considerations that should be taken into account when looking at the collaborations be-tween the Straub brothers. On the basis of the stylis-tic affinities of a number of works by brother Franz Anton Straub, sculptor in Zagreb, and those of Joseph

31 For collaboration between Straub and Holzinger, and the claim that the latter was Straub’s assistant, see Vrišer 1957, 96, 98, 100; Vrišer 1992, 215; Vrišer 1997, 21.

32 This record was first cited by Curk 1985, 73, followed by other researchers (Vrišer 1992, 215; Kostanjšek Brglez, Roškar 2018, 3). It led Kostanjšek Brglez and Roškar to the conclusion that after Joseph’s death the workshop was taken over and managed for a period of two years by his widow and brother (Kostanjšek Brglez, Roškar 2018, 21).

33 Pavlič 2019.34 PAM, 1802, Zbirka zemljiških knjig gospoščin ter magis-

tratov mest in trgov, 1713–1895, 1152, fol. 142.35 The caveat should be added that some of the commissions

left unfinished at Joseph’s death could have been carried out by his brother. This seems very likely, since the broth-ers kept in contact with each other throughout their lives, as pointed out above.

74

Straub, as well as the timeframe of his work in Croatia, it can be assumed that Franz Anton also worked in Jo-seph Straub’s workshop – perhaps even more actively than in the workshop of Philipp Jakob Straub.36 Like-wise, the question remains as to whether Johann Georg Straub Jr and Joseph Straub also collaborated. Poten-tial affiliations and collaborations with other sculptors, architects, and painters should also be considered.

The recently documented statue of St John of Nepo-muk from the storage of the Musei Provinciali di Gori-zia suggests the possibility that Joseph Straub’s em-ployment in the Vipava Valley and the Goriška region, where he remained as late as 1741, was more extensive than previously thought.37

New attributions also raise new questions on the production of smaller sculptures.38 Straub’s carving skills are demonstrated by the miniature sculptures of St Rosalia and St John of Nepomuk from the parish church of St Stephen in Spodnja Polskava, which are of exceptional quality (see fig. 8).39 The same holds for the Crucified Christ on the high altar of the Church of St Henry in Areh, held by St John of Nepomuk, and the sculpture of the putto on the pulpit of the Church of St Mary in Ruše.40

36 Franz Anton Straub is documented in Zagreb for the first time in 1763, when his daughter was baptized (see the es-say by Ožanić, Wolff Zubović). His earliest works are dated in the early 1860s as the high altar in the parish church in Pakrac (1760), the high altar in the parish church in Karlovac-Banija (1760–2), and the high altar in the parish church in Velika Ludina (1761).

37 See Catalogue Joseph Straub 9.38 For new additions to the œuvre see Catalogue Joseph

Straub 45, 39 and 16.39 Previously, the sculpture with St Dominic and St Clare, kept

at the Regional Museum Maribor, was held to be Straub’s only miniature work, although Vrišer repeatedly stated that Straub was skilled in miniature sculpture as well.

40 See Catalogue Joseph Straub 1 and 39.

VALENTINA PAVLIČ

JOŽEF STRAUB

STANJE RAZISKAV

Kiparsko družino Straub in še posebej življenje kiparja Jožefa Strauba je v slovenski umetnostnozgodovinski literaturi prvi predstavil Avguštin Stegenšek, ko se je leta 1911 v članku »Naši Marijini stebri«, poleg drugih spomenikov, temeljito posvetil tudi Kužnemu zname-nju oziroma Marijinemu stebru na Glavnem trgu.1 Šele z naslednjo generacijo umetnostnih zgodovinarjev se je začelo obsežnejše in bolj sistematično raziskovanje posameznih umetnostnih zvrsti najbolj plodnih zgo-dovinskih obdobij na ozemlju današnje Slovenije. Za-četnik sistematičnega raziskovanja baročnega kipar-stva v Sloveniji, posebej na slovenskem Štajerskem, je bil Sergej Vrišer. Postavil je časovne okvire posameznih faz v razvoju kiparstva 17. in 18. stoletja ter prispeval slogovne orise glavnih predstavnikov. Zbral je do tedaj znane življenjepisne podatke kiparjev in skušal zao-krožiti njihove opuse – tudi v primeru Jožefa Strauba.2

V zadnjih desetletjih je nekaj objav bistveno prispe-valo k današnjemu pogledu na ustvarjalno pot Jožefa Strauba. Kot prvega izpostavimo Blaža Resmana, saj gre njemu in njegovi natančnosti zasluga za razume-vanje Straubovega tako imenovanega »ljubljanskega obdobja«. Ob pregledu arhivskih virov je osvetlil Stra-ubovo delo v delavnici kiparja Henrika Mihaela Löhra ter natančno opisal njune (pravne) spore, predvsem pa

1 Stegenšek 1911. Predstavil je zgodovino in okoliščine na-stanka spomenika, obliko in ikonografijo, prepisal je napi-se in predstavil avtorja ter vlogo in pomen spomenika. Že on je omenil, da je na spomeniku delal bodisi Jožef Straub sam ali v sodelovanju z bratom Filipom Jakobom Strau-bom, ter zapisal, da »uvaja doslej neznanega umetnika v domačo zgodovino« (Stegenšek 1911, 333).

2 Vrišerjevo temeljno delo za vsa nadaljnja raziskovanja predstavlja članek »Mariborski kiparji« (Vrišer 1957) ter njegova pregleda »Baročno kiparstvo na Štajerskem« (Vri-šer 1963; Vrišer 1992).

75VALENTINA PAVLIČ: JOSEPH STRAUB

je opozoril tudi na Straubovo delo na Vipavskem, ki do tedaj ni bilo zadovoljivo obravnavno.3

V preglednem članku o bratih Straub na Štajerskem je Matej Klemenčič opozoril, da je potrebno atribucije nekaterih del, še posebej je izpostavil Filipa Jakoba in Jožefa Strauba, še enkrat premisliti, saj se po njegovem mnenju njihovi opusi prepletajo in nekatere atribucije niso prepričljive.4

Nekaj pomembnih spoznanj so prinesle tudi naj-novejše raziskave. V času pisanja doktorske disertacije sem se osredotočila predvsem na kamnite kipe Jožefa Strauba, prav tako pa sem iskala arhivske vire, ki bi dopolnili seznam dokumentiranih del Jožefa Strauba.5 Doslej nepregledani arhiv župnije iz Ernovža (Ehren-hausen), danes hranjen v Škofijskem arhivu v Gradcu, je kot kiparja kamnitih kipov na fasadi župnijske cer-kve Žalostne Matere Božje v Ernovžu razkril Jožefa Strauba (kipi in okrasje fasade so bili doslej pripisani Filipu Jakobu Straubu).6 Izplačilo Jožefu Straubu za ka-mnite kipe odgovarja tudi na pomislek o njegovi spo-sobnosti klesanja oziroma potrjuje, da je dobival naro-čila tudi za kamnita dela.7 Izplačilo v letu 1758 – dve

3 Z natančnim branjem arhivskih virov je Blaž Resman ugotovil, da je Jožef Straub v letih med 1737 in 1738 za žu-pnijsko cerkev sv. Štefana v Vipavi naredil osem lesenih ki-pov in lesen tabernakelj za veliki oltar ter leseno prižnico (Resman 1998, 57). Že konec stoletja je bil oltar zamenjan, a ohranjenih kosov starega oltarja doslej ni bilo mogoče najti. Blaž Resman je Jožefu Straubu – na podlagi ohranje-ne fotografije, saj je bila cerkev podrta in oprema uničena

– pripisal tudi oltar iz podružnične cerkve sv. Trojice nad Pasjim repom v Vipavskih Brdih (Resman 1988, 58). Prvi je del arhivskih virov, ki jih je obravnaval Resman, objavil Julius Wallner, že 1890 (Wallner 1890).

4 Klemenčič 2006.5 Doktorsko disertacijo z naslovom »Jožef Straub in pozno-

baročno kiparstvo na Štajerskem« bom zagovarjala nasle-dnje leto.

6 DA Graz-Seckau, Pfarre Ehrenhausen, Kirchen–Raittung 1758: »Inhalt No. 3 Hrn. Joseph Straub bildhauer Meister zu Mahrburg 70 [fl.]«. Glej katalog Jožef Straub 8. Za atri-bucijo Filipu Jakobu Straubu glej: Dehio Steiermark 1982, 78; Schweigert 1992, 7, 11; Schweigert 1996, 6–7.

7 O Straubovi spodobnosti klesanja oziroma v njegovem av-torstvu Kužnega znamenja v Mariboru ter kipov na fasadi župnijske cerkve v Gornjem Gradu je podvomil Blaž Re-sman (Resman 1998, 57–58). Arhivski vir za kipe na fasadi župnijske cerkve v Ernovžu, predvsem pa tudi slogovne analize, kažejo, da lahko omenjena kamnita dela (kljub še vedno odprtemu vprašanju, ali je kipe res klesal Straub sam ali pa jih je po njegovem modellu naredil kamnosek – glej katalog Jožef Straub 10 i 17), kakor tudi kipe na fasadi župnijske cerkve sv. Marije in Marjete na Sladki Gori, kip sv. Miklavža v Lovrencu na Pohorju, kip sv. Janeza Nepo-

leti po kiparjevi smrti – namiguje na dejstvo, da je po njegovi smrti odprte računovodske posle ter terjanje dolžnikov vodila njegova vdova.8

Posebej pa so se novejše razprave osredotočile na kontinuiteto in prenos delavnice ter s tem predvsem na poslednja dela Jožefa Strauba.9

ŽIVLJENJE IN DELO

Jožef Straub se je rodil leta 1712 v Wiesensteigu, 17. marca tega leta je bil v krstno knjigo tamkajšnje župni-je vpisan njegov krst.10 O mladostni dobi in kiparski formaciji Jožefa Strauba ne poznamo arhivskih virov, sklepamo pa lahko, da se je s kiparstvom spoznal – tako kot njegovi bratje – v očetovi delavnici. Smiselno se zdi, in tudi slogovne sorodnosti kažejo na to, da se je kasne-je izpopolnjeval pri svojem uspešnem in vplivnem sta-rejšem bratu, Filipu Jakobu Straubu. Verjetno je nekaj časa delal v njegovi delavnici v Gradcu in mu pomagal pri izvrševanju naročil.11

Jožef Straub je prvič dokumentiran v Ljubljani, leta 1736, in sicer kot pomočnik v delavnici kiparja Henrika Mihaela Löhra. V mestu se je zadržal zgolj eno leto, saj se je zaradi samostojnega delovanja zapletel v spore.12 Prav Löhru – ki ga je Resman označil »kot neutrudnega borca za cehovske in posebej lastne pravice« – se ima-

muka v Slivnici pri Mariboru ter kipe na stopnišču pred cerkvijo na Ptujski Gori, upravičeno uvrščamo v opus Jo-žefa Strauba. Da je Jožef Straub prevzemal naročila v ka-mnu, dokazuje tudi omemba tega materiala v njegovi de-lavnici ob odkupu jusa (PAM, 1802, Zbirka zemljiških knjig gospoščin ter magistratov mest in trgov, 1713–1895, 1152).

8 Podobne primere lahko najdemo tudi po smrti drugih ki-parjev, saj je bila žena vedno zakonita dedinja premoženja in delavnice. Kot primer navajam izplačilo kiparjevi ženi po smrti kiparja Janeza Jurija Mersija iz leta 1789 (NŠAM, ŽA Slovenj Gradec, šk. 33).

9 Pavlič 2017b; Kostanjšek Brglez, Roškar 2018.10 PfA Wiesensteig, Catalogus Baptizatorum (1709–1754). Za

posredovanje podatka iz krstne knjige se najlepše zahva-ljujem Julii Strobl.

11 Vrišer je domneval, da se je Jožef šolal pri enem od obeh vplivnejših bratov (Vrišer 1992, 234). Izrazite sorodnosti z deli Jožefa Strauba kažejo kipi na fasadi minoritske cer-kve (Mariahilf) v Gradcu in kip sv. Leopolda na oltarju sv. Janeza Nepomuka v župnijski cerkvi Svete Krvi v Gradcu. Morda lahko sodelovanje Jožefa Strauba vidimo prav v teh delih.

12 Resman 1998, 56. Poprej je v literaturi veljalo, da je bil Jožef Straub v Ljubljani kar devet let (Vrišer 1957, 85; Vrišer 1963, 91, 167; Vrišer 1992, 127, 234). Samostojno prevzemanje na-ročil je bilo v nasprotju s cehovskimi pravili.

76 ESSAYS

mo zahvaliti, da vemo, kam se je Jožef Straub podal iz Ljubljane.13

V letih 1737 in 1738 je Straub delal v župnijski cerkvi v Vipavi,14 z letnico 1741 pa sta datirana kipa sv. Jožefa in sv. Janeza Nepomuka na velikem oltarju v župnijski cerkvi sv. Danijela v Štanjelu, ki sta prvi dokumentira-ni deli Jožefa Strauba.15 Na podstavek kipa sv. Janeza Nepomuka je Jožef Straub poleg letnice ponosno dodal tudi svoj podpis – kot kipar in kot avtor zasnove: IOSE. STRAVP INVENTOR SCVLP. ANNO 1741 (sl. 1).

V Mariboru je Jožef Straub prvič dokumentiran leta 1743 – tega leta je namreč s kronogramom datirano Ku-žno znamenje na Glavnem trgu, ki zaradi (danes sicer neohranjene) signature velja za njegovo najzgodnejše delo v mestu (sl. 2).16 Naročilo Kužnega znamenja pred-stavlja najprestižnejše mestno naročilo, zaradi česar so se že v preteklosti raziskovalci upravičeno spraševali, kako je mogoče, da je tako pomembno naročilo dobil prav Jožef Straub – takrat v mestu še neznan kipar, celo brez pravih referenc in na začetku kariere.17 Zaradi ne-ohranjenosti mestnih arhivskih virov iz tega obdobja lahko o možnostih naročila in izvedbi spomenika zgolj domnevamo. Kljub vsemu se zdi izmed najrazličnejših možnosti18 najbolj smiselna ta, da se je mesto z naro-čilom obrnilo na uveljavljenega in uspešnega kiparja iz (takratne) prestolnice – Filipa Jakoba Strauba. Mor-da sta brata pri snovanju spomenika in klesanju kipov sodelovala, morda je naročilo v celoti prevzel in izve-

13 Löhr je Strauba omenjal v protestu zoper kiparje, ki so bili prej pomočniki pri ljubljanskih mojstrih, potem pa so sa-mostojno delali po deželi (Resman 1998, 56). V protestu je omenjen Straub, ki je takrat delal v župnišču v Vipavi. Po-novno pa se Straubovo delo v Vipavi omenja v patentu, ki ga je vicedomski urad izdal kot odgovor na prej omenjeni protest (Resman 1998, 56).

14 Glej cit. n. 3.15 Kipa je prvič objavil Sergej Vrišer (Vrišer 1957, 85). Glej ka-

talog Jožef Straub 50.16 Na podstavku kipa sv. Janeza Krstnika je Avguštin Ste-

genšek prebral napis ios. Straub. Fi. Fecit (Stegenšek 1911, 333), pri čemer je bil napis že v njegovem času poškodovan. France Stele je prepisal napis na podstavku kipa sv. Janeza Nepomuka – joseph… invenit et (UIFS ZRC SAZU, Teren-ski zapiski Franceta Steleta, 1921, LXXXVII, 8; UIFS ZRC SAZU, Terenski zapiski Franceta Steleta, 1932, LXXX, 17). Vrišer napisa, ki ga omenja Stegenšek, ni mogel več pre-brati, pač pa je videl in prepisal napis na podstavku kipa sv. Frančiška Ksaverija – ioseph … inuenit et f … (Vrišer 1957, 86; Vrišer, 1963, 168; Vrišer, 1992, 235).

17 Glej cit. n. 7.18 Kostanjšek Brglez in Roškar sta predlagala, da je naročilo

prevzel arhitekt Jožef Hoffer in k sodelovanju povabil Fili-pa Jakoba Strauba (Kostanjšek Brglez, Roškar 2019, 6, 9).

del Jožef sam … Brez arhivskih virov, pa tudi zaradi izjemno slabe ohranjenosti spomenika, ki onemogoča vsakršno slogovno analizo, končne sodbe ne moremo podati.

V matičnih knjigah župnije sv. Janeza Krstnika v Mariboru je Jožef Straub prvič vpisan 27. junija 1746, ko se je poročil z Marijo Jožefo Cowalter (sl. 3).19 V Maribo-ru je živel do svoje zgodnje smrti – dočakal je komaj šti-riinštirideset let, pokopali so ga 1. marca 1756.20 Glede na smrti otrok, ki so sledile njegovi, lahko sklepamo, da je družina zbolela za nalezljivo boleznijo.21

Opus kiparja Jožefa Strauba sestavlja manjše število dokumentiranih in večje število pripisanih del. Največ del – oltarjev, prižnic in kipov – je naredil za župnijske in podružnične cerkve na Spodnjem Štajerskem, nekaj del pa najdemo tudi na Hrvaškem in na Madžarskem.

Temelj Straubovega opusa predstavljajo veliki ol-tar iz župnijske cerkve sv. Jožefa iz Studencev (sl. 4) ter veliki oltar in prižnica iz minoritske cerkve na Ptuju (sl.  5).22 Dela so nastala leta 1750 oziroma 1752, nobe-no od njih pa se ni v celoti ohranilo do danes in jih po-znamo zgolj po fotografijah ter ohranjenih fragmentih. Veliki oltar iz Studencev je bil ob koncu 19. stoletja, ki je bilo nenaklonjeno baročni umetnosti, umaknjen iz cerkve. Ohranili so se le kipi, ki so danes hranjeni v Po-krajinskem muzeju Maribor.23 Veliki oltar in prižnica iz minoritske cerkve na Ptuju sta bila uničena v bom-bardiranju samostana in cerkve v 2. svetovni vojni. Kipi, ki so se ohranili, so danes v moderni interpreta-ciji nameščeni nad glavnim oltarjem, nekaj ostankov je na ogled v kapeli sv. Antona Padovanskega v cerkvi, ostali fragmenti in kipi pa so razstavljeni v posebni sobi v samostanu. Arhivski viri ne dokazujejo le avtor-stva kiparskih del (Jožef Straub), pač pa razkrivajo tudi, kdo so bili njegovi sodelavci. Mizarska dela na velikem oltarju na Studencih je naredil mizar Franc (Franz) Leb (Leeb), medtem ko je polihromacijo izvedel slikar

19 NŠAM, Maribor – sv. Janez Krstnik, Poročna knjiga, 1646–1748, 797: »Josephus Straub, Wisenstagensis ex Bavaria, sculptor caelebs; D[ominus]: Joannis Georgii Straub et Barbarae eius conjugis leg[itimus] filius cum ingenua Vir-gine Maria Josepha. D[omina]: Andrea[e] Cowalter Mer-catoris loci, [et] D: Catharina[e] eius consortis amborum defunctorum filia leg[itima].«

20 NŠAM, Maribor – sv. Janez Krstnik, Mrliška knjiga, 1664–1762, 323 (324): »Martig 756 1ten ist begraben worden H. Joseph Straub bildhauer Meister.«

21 Vrišer 1957, 85; Vrišer 1963, 168; Vrišer 1992, 234.22 Glej katalog Jožef Straub 28 in 34.23 Kipi predstavljajo celo temelj zbirke likovne umetnosti Po-

krajinskega muzeja Maribor.

77VALENTINA PAVLIČ: JOSEPH STRAUB

Franc (Franz) Beinlich, in sicer šele leta 1756.24 Mizar Franc Leb je s Straubom sodeloval tudi na Ptuju, poli-hromatorska dela pa je tam opravil slikar Dominik Co-cconi (Cagoni).25

Oltarja sta služila za osrednjo referenco pri sesta-vljanju Straubovega opusa, ki je temelji na slogovnih primerjavah. Kiparski slog Jožefa Strauba opredeljujejo masivne figure v poudarjenih kontrapostih z izrazito ekspresivnostjo in živostjo, ki ju je uspel vdahniti svo-jim svetnikom in svetnicam. Straubov slog se odraža v značilnem oblikovanju obrazov (široko odprte oči mandljaste oblike, kodrasti lasje, raven nos ter srča-ste ustnice, podbradek in debelušna brada z luknjico pri ženskih figurah), draperij (vihranje haljic na stran, značilna »lijakasta odprta guba«, široko odprti rokavi) ter rok (ekspresivno iztegnjeni prsti, poudarjena gesti-kulacija, debelušni prsti) (sl. 6). Na drugi strani pa se je Jožef Straub vedno zvesto posvetil vsem detajlom svo-jih figur – natančno je izdelal mišice in žile, zobe, ki so pogosto vidni v malenkostno odprtih ustih, pramena las, celo solzni vod pri očesu (sl. 7). Pri njegovih delih lahko vidimo tudi nekaj tehničnih posebnosti, kot so sledovi dleta na draperiji, ki so pustili značilne luknje in ustvarjajo bolj dinamičen vtis draperije, pa tudi zelo grobo izvotljene zadnje dele kipov, ki omogočajo razte-zanje in krčenje lesa.

Arhitektura Straubovih oltarjev (razen dveh izjem: veliki oltar na Arehu in veliki oltar na Rdečem Bregu) sledi tipu oltarja z enim ali dvema paroma stebrov ob osrednji niši (večji oltarji imajo celo tri ali več parov). Med stebri so postavljene figure, v nekaterih primerih je figura tudi v osrednji niši. V atike, ki jih nosijo volute, so postavljeni kipi angelov, putov in angelskih glavic.

Na Straubovih oltarjih je ornamentike malo. Naj-bolj značilni so cvetlični venci, rocaille (nepravilnih oblik), školjka, ornamenti v obliki črke S – večinoma oblikovani precej robustno in masivno.26

Med naročniki Straubovih del izstopa minoritski red, saj je Jožef Straub zanje delal na Ptuju in v Celju, pa tudi na drugih lokacijah, ki so bile v njihovi lasti (Podlehnik, Videm pri Ptuju, Stoperce). Pomembno je izpostaviti tudi, da je že njegov brat Filip Jakob Straub delal za isti red v Gradcu, kar je morda vplivalo tudi na nadaljnje Jožefovo sodelovanje z redom.

24 Povsem običajno je, da so oltarje poslikali kasneje.25 Glej katalog Jožef Straub 34.26 Zanimiv detajl ornamentike na Straubovih oltarjih je »go-

basta struktura«, ki jo lahko najdemo na primer na okvir-ju oltarne podobe iz velikega oltarja cerkve sv. Jožefa na Studencih, sredi školjke v atiki velikega oltarja v cerkvi sv. Areha na Pohorju.

Poleg minoritov je Jožef Straub delal tudi za fran-čiškane, in sicer je za njihovo cerkev v Ormožu nare-dil veliki oltar (danes v podružnični cerkvi sv. Ignacija na Rdečem Bregu), predvsem pa pomembno naročilo kažeta veliki oltar v frančiškanski cerkvi v Čakovcu (k naročilu je prispevala Ana Maria grofica Althan, roje-na Pignatelli, katere grb je celo nameščen na oltar) in v frančiškanski cerkvi v Veliki Kaniži (Nagykanizsa).27 Ugotovimo lahko, da so meniški redovi s svojo mrežo samostanov odigrali nadvse pomembno vlogo pri šir-jenju Straubovih del izven meja Štajerske.

V ozirih naročništva je potrebno izpostaviti tudi ol-tar sv. Janeza Nepomuka (do danes se je ohranil le kip sv. Janeza Nepomuka), ki ga je Jožef Straub na izrecno željo naročnice – samostanske prednice, sestre Cecilije – naredil za uršulinsko cerkev v Varaždinu.28 Predsta-vljamo si lahko, da je podobna želja po delih najkva-litetnejših in najslavnejših mojstrov (med katere se je Jožef Straub gotovo uvrščal) vodila tudi druge razgle-dane naročnike (poleg članov redov so bili to v večini župnijski duhovniki).

SODELOVANJE MED BRATI

Večkrat omenjene slogovne sorodnosti med deli Jožefa in Filipa Jakoba Strauba lahko razlagamo kot posledi-co njunega sodelovanja v Jožefovih mladostnih letih, ko je slednji (najverjetneje) nekaj časa delal v delavnici svojega brata. Doslej je bilo manj izpostavljeno njuno kasnejše sodelovanje. Da sta bila brata v stikih verje-tno celo življenje, lahko sklepamo tudi po tem, da je bil Jožef poročna priča svojemu bratu, Filipu Jakobu, ko je ta sklenil svoj drugi zakon z Mariborčanko Marijo Ano Duhn.29 Poleg osebnih stikov sta gotovo sodelovala tudi poslovno, zelo verjetno celo bolj tesno, kot si da-nes predstavljamo. Poleg že prej omenjenega (morebi-tnega) sodelovanja pri Kužnem znamenju, sta verjetno sočasno delala stranske oltarje za župnijsko cerkev sv.

27 Glej katalog Jožef Straub 5 in 30.28 Lentić 1971, 12. Glej katalog Jožef Straub 52.29 NŠAM, Maribor – sv. Janez Krstnik, Poročna knjiga 2,

1749–1836, 20: »Capulat[us] est D[ominus]: Philippus Ja-cobus Straub Parochianus Gradensis Viduus, statuaria artis m[agiste]r, cum nobili ac virtuosa Virgine Maria Anna, Nobilis D[omin]i Desiderii Duhn Senatoris loci, et Maria[e] Anna[e] eius consortis leg[itima] filia, parochia-na Marburgensi. Testes erant. D[ominus] Josephus Straub, et D[ominus]: Antonius Koberwein. Asistens Ferdinand Wasserman Parochus.«

78 ESSAYS

Petra v Malečniku.30 Zanimiv pa je pogled tudi na ol-tar sv. Križa v župnijski cerkvi sv. Marije Vnebovzete v Jarenini, saj je v nekaterih delih oltarja mogoče prepo-znati značilnosti Jožefa Strauba, v drugih pa prepričlji-ve sorodnosti z deli Filipa Jakoba Strauba, kar bi torej lahko govorilo v prid njunemu tesnemu sodelovanju.

Če je bila povezanost obeh bratov – Jožefa in Filipa Jakoba – res tako tesna, se zdi smiselno domnevati, da je po Jožefovi smrti svoji svakinji na pomoč priskočil Filip Jakob Straub – saj bi v tem primeru šlo zgolj za na-daljevanje sodelovanja.

Zaradi tesne slogovne povezanosti (predvsem najz-godnejših) del Jožefa Holzingerja s Straubovimi deli, se je Holzingerja tradicionalno omenjalo kot pomočnika v Straubovi delavnici in njegovega naslednika31 – ne-davno pa sta ti domnevi dobili tudi arhivsko potrditev. Doslej se je v literaturi venomer navajal podatek, da je Jožef Holzinger od Jožefe – vdove Jožefa Strauba – hišo s kiparskim jusom kupil 2. marca 1758.32 Pregled arhi-vskih virov pa je pokazal, da je bila pogodba sklenjena že 16. septembra 1756, le vpis v zemljiško knjigo je bil opravljen šele 2. marca 1758.33 Pogodba Jožefa Holzin-gerja izrecno imenuje kot pomočnika.34 S popravljenim datumom odkupa jusa pa ni več dvoma, da je prav Hol-zinger neposreden naslednik delavnice in da je v na-slednjih desetletjih uspešno nadaljeval z njenim vode-njem in izvrševanjem številnih naročil na Štajerskem in v bližnjih pokrajinah.35

30 Polihromacijo oltarjev je v letu 1746 naredil Dominik Coc-coni. Podatek je iz kronike prepisal Vrišer (Vrišer 1957, 118; Vrišer 1976, 12).

31 O povezanosti Jožefa Strauba in Jožefa Holzingerja ter predloge, da je bil Holzinger Straubov pomočnik in sode-lavec najdemo: Vrišer 1957, 96, 98, 100; Vrišer 1992, 215; Vrišer 1997, 21.

32 Prvi je podatek objavil Jože Curk (Curk 1985, 73), za njim so ga prepisali drugi raziskovalci (Vrišer 1992, 215; Kostanjšek Brglez, Roškar 2018, 3). Kostanjšek Brglez in Roškar sta zato predlagala, da sta po Jožefovi smrti delavnico za ob-dobje dveh let prevzela in vodila Jožefova vdova in njegov brat Filip Jakob Straub (Kostanjšek Brglez, Roškar 2018, 21).

33 Pavlič 2019.34 PAM, 1802, Zbirka zemljiških knjig gospoščin ter magis-

tratov mest in trgov, 1713–1895, 1152, fol. 142.35 Ob tem naj opozorim, da je sicer možno, da je po Jožefovi

smrti kakšno izmed nekončanih naročil končal brat Filip Jakob Straub. Takšna možnost se zdi verjetna posebej zato, ker sta bila – kot bom opozorila v nadaljevanju – brata vse življenje v stikih.

ODPRTA VPRAŠANJA

Ko razmišljamo o sodelovanju med brati, se ponuja še ena misel. Na podlagi slogovnih značilnosti, ki jih ne-katera dela Franza Antona Strauba kažejo z deli Jože-fa Strauba, ter časovnih okvirjev njegovega delovanja na Hrvaškem, bi smeli domnevati, da je Franz Anton morda deloval v delavnici Jožefa Strauba celo bolj in-tenzivno kot v delavnici Filipa Jakoba Strauba.36 Prav tako ostaja odprto tudi vprašanje, ali sta morebiti sode-lovala tudi Johann Georg Straub ml. in Jožef Straub. Pa tudi možnosti povezav in sodelovanja z drugimi kiparji, arhitekti in slikarji.

Pred kratkim objavljeni kip sv. Janeza Nepomuka iz depoja goriškega muzeja odpira možnost obsežnejšega delovanja Jožefa Strauba na Vipavskem in Goriškem, kjer se je gotovo mudil še leta 1741.37

Nove atribucije odpirajo tudi vprašanje produkcije kipov manjših dimenzij.38 Na njegove rezbarske spre-tnosti kažeta miniaturni plastiki sv. Roze Limske in sv. Janeza Nepomuka iz župnijske cerkve sv. Štefana na Spodnji Polskavi, saj sta visoke kvalitete (sl. 8).39 Kakor tudi Križani na velikem oltarju sv. Areha na Arehu, ki ga drži sv. Janez Nepomuk ter kip putta na prižnici Mariji-ne cerkve v Rušah.40

36 Franz Anton Straub je v Zagrebu prvič dokumentiran leta 1763, ob krstu svoje hčere (glej esej Wolf, Ožanić v tej pu-blikaciji). Njegova najzgodnejša dela so datirana v zgodnja šestdeseta leta 18. stoletja: veliki oltar v župnijski cerkvi v Pakracu (1760), veliki oltar v župnijski cerkvi v Karlovac-

-Banija (1760–1762), veliki oltar v župnijski cerkvi v Veliki Ludini (1761).

37 Glej katalog Jožef Straub 9.38 Za nove prispevke v opusu glej katalog Jožef Straub 45, 39

in 16.39 Doslej se je kot edina miniaturna plastika v opusu Josepha

Strauba omenjala le miniatura s sv. Dominikom in sv. Kla-ro, hranjena v Pokrajinskem muzeju Maribor, čeprav je Vrišer večkrat zapisal, da je bil Straub vešč tudi rezbarjenja miniaturne plastike.

40 Glej katalog Jožef Straub 1 in 39.

79VALENTINA PAVLIČ: JOSEPH STRAUB

ZUSAMMENFASSUNG

JOSEPH STRAUB

Es ist anzunehmen, dass Joseph Straub (Wiesensteig, 1712 – Maribor, 1756) seine erste Ausbildung als Bild-hauer in der Werkstatt seines Vaters erhielt und seine Fertigkeiten möglicherweise bei Philipp Jakob Straub in Graz verbesserte. Im Jahr 1736 war er in der Werk-statt des Heinrich Michael Löhr in Ljublijana tätig. Bald danach arbeitete er in Vipava und Umgebung. 1746 ist er in Maribor dokumentiert, weil er dort heiratete. Die meisten seiner Arbeiten (Altäre, Kanzeln und auch Miniatur-Skulpturen) entstanden in der Steiermark; die wichtigsten (wenn auch nur teilweise erhaltenen) sind zwei dokumentierte Arbeiten – der Hochaltar in Studenci und der Hochaltar in Ptuj. Nach seinem Tod übernahm Joseph Holzinger die Werkstatt des Joseph Straub und führte dessen Arbeit erfolgreich fort.

SAŽETAK

JOSEPH STRAUB

Smatra se da je Joseph Straub (Wiesensteig, 1712. – Ma-ribor, 1756.) započeo svoje kiparsko obrazovanje u oče-voj radionici, a poslije je vjerojatno nastavio učiti u ra-dionici Philippa Jakoba Strauba u Grazu. Godine 1736. radio je u radionici Heinricha Michaela Löhra u Lju-bljani. Ubrzo je nastavio s radom u Vipavi i okolici. Do-kumentiran je njegov boravak u Mariboru 1746. godi-ne, kad se ondje oženio. Većina njegovih radova (oltari, propovjedaonice i minijaturne skulpture) stvorena je u Štajerskoj; najvažniji radovi (iako samo fragmentarno sačuvani) su glavni oltar u Studencima i glavni oltar u Ptuju. Nakon Josephove smrti, njegovu je radionicu preuzeo Joseph Holzinger koji je uspješno nastavio rad svojega prethodnika.