Anton Pilgram (also
Anton Pilchramb) (around 1460, Brno
(?) – 1516,
Vienna
) was a late medieval Austrian (German) architect and
sculptor active in the area of today's
Czech
Republic
, Austria
and western
Germany
. Pilgram is known as the sculptor of the
portal of Old City Hall in
Brno and craftsman of the pulpit in St. Stephen's
Cathedral, Vienna
. He spent a major part of his life in Brno,
Moravia.
Biography
Pulpit in St. Stephen's Cathedral,
Vienna
He was
probably trained in Vienna, and following that, in 1481, he was
invited to Heilbronn
. His earliest work was a
chancel at the St Kilian Church in Heilbronn.
However, research by Kaliopi Chamonikola, 2004, disputes the
attribution of the design of the chancel to Pilgram. He created his
early architectural works mainly in
Swabia,
Germany.
He participated in the building of the St.
George Church in Schwieberdingen
and St Lawrence Chapel in Rottweil
.
During his stay in Swabia, he became familiar with the works of
Italian and German
Renaissance artists.
He came back to Brno around 1495, and he worked there as a sculptor
and
stonemason at the St Jacob Church
and Judentor (Jews' Gate, 1508). Among his most important works are
wooden sculptures of
Saint Peter
Martyr and a Dominican saint, created around 1511, and
particularly the portal of the Old City Hall (1512).
In 1512 Pilgram became a cathedral builder of the
St Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna.
There he concentrated mainly on smaller architectonic forms, such
as the cathedral pulpit (built from 1514 to 1515) and various
relief sculptures. Pilgram probably died in Vienna around
1516.
Style
Anton Pilgram is considered to be one of the most talented
descendants of
Nicolas Gerhaert of
Leiden in Middle Europe. His figural sculptures express a high
level of individuality, and are not entirely within medieval
artistic expression. Czech art historian
Albert Kutal indicated also possible influence
of north
Italian Renaissance
sculpture and paintings by
Andrea
Mantegna.According to preserved historical documents, Pilgram
was a self-confident and contentious artist, who often asserted his
artistic individuality against the will of guilds and other
institutions.
Notes
References
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