Christoph Thomas Scheffler

Christoph Thomas Scheffler ( born December 20 1699 Main Castle; † January 25, 1756 in Augsburg, also coopers ) was a German painter of the Baroque and Rococo.

Background and Career

Christoph Thomas Scheffler was one of three sons of the painter Wolfgang Scheffler and Sabine NN After an apprenticeship in the workshop of his father, he worked from 1719-1722 as a journeyman painter at Cosmas Damian Asam, one of the two brothers Asam. In September 1722 he became a lay brother in the Landsberg Jesuit College, which probably gave him the first orders:

  • Ellwangen castle: Frescoes stairwell and Prince Hall ( 1725)
  • Jesuit College of Ingolstadt: Bass violin pictures for Orbansaal. Portraits by Christoph Scheiner, Johann Baptist Cysat, Christoph Clavius ​​and Athanasius Kircher. ( 1725)
  • Ellwangen: Blankets and several altar paintings for the Jesuit Church ( 1727)
  • Dillingen, study Church of the Assumption: frescoes and side altarpiece (1726-1728)

In Dillingen he entered on 17 April 1728 - probably with the intention to become self-employed as a painter - surprisingly from the Order of.

Together with his brother Felix Anton Scheffler he received in 1729 from Worms Bishop Franz Ludwig von Pfalz- Neuburg, who was also Elector of Mainz and Prince-Bishop of Breslau and Grand Master of the Teutonic Order, the order for the frescos of the staircase and the main hall in the Worms bishop. On his recommendation, the two brothers went to Silesia in 1730 to paint the Kreuzherrenkirche in Neisse. After completion of work, Christoph Thomas in 1732 returned to Augsburg, where he founded a painting workshop and 1738 with Mary Regina married Pelle, who bore him five sons.

Until about 1740 Scheffler worked mainly of Swabian Churches ( Unterliezheim 1733, Augsburg- St. Margareth 1735, St. Lawrence and Elizabeth in Aulzhausen, Dillingen 1737 Todtenweis, Witzighausen 1740, Mother of God Chapel in Haunstetten 1742).

Œuvre

Scheffler was stylistically influenced by his years at Cosmas Damian Asam. He created numerous altarpieces and city views. He became one of the most important representatives of the Swabian Baroque painting in the first half of the 18th century through his fresco painting.

In his painting he preferred - probably because of the years he spent with the Jesuits - religious themes, often where a pious and instructive style is based. His clients came mainly from the ecclesiastical sphere.

Although Scheffler had in 1741 collaborated in the design of the Holy Sepulchre of the Counts of Schönborn in Heusenstamm with Balthasar Neumann, Neumann wanted him in the design of Wurzburg Castle - probably because Scheffler pronounced religious motives - not consulted.

Scheffler's last years were marred by illness. His works he signed mostly with large T and large p

Other Works (selection)

  • Aulzhausen: frescoes ( 1735) and high altarpiece ( 1739 ) of the parish church of St. Lawrence
  • Heusenstamm: Frescoes of the Church of St. Cecilia (1741 )
  • Mainz: ceiling paintings of the chapel of the German Order Coming (1736-1737; destroyed in 1945 )
  • Trier: collegiate church of St. Paulin ( 1743)
  • Ingolstadt, church Maria Victoria: Oil Painting (1752-1753)
  • Regensburg: frescoes of the Old Chapel (1752-1753)
  • Landsberg am Lech: Frescoes of the Jesuit church and side altar paintings (1753-1754)
  • Türkenfeld: Parish Church ( 1754)
  • Ettal Monastery: altar painting Death of St.. Benedict (1756; accomplished by Felix Anton Scheffler)
St. Lawrence and Elizabeth (Aulzhausen) Mainburg Teutonic Knights Deutschhaus Mainz Neue Deutsche Biographie Integrated Authority File
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