Franz, Count of Erbach-Erbach
Francis I, Count of Erbach- Erbach ( born October 29, 1754 Erbach (Odenwald ), † March 8, 1823 ibid ) was reigning Count of Erbach County and art collector, antiques collector and pioneer of the provincial Roman archeology in Germany.
Life
From autumn 1769 to spring 1773, he studied in Lausanne, Strasbourg and Paris political science, history and archeology. Besides his studies employed Franz Johann Joachim Winckelmann with the writings. In a two-year educational journey he visited then London, Brussels, The Hague, Berlin, Dresden and Italy. In Rome he met many scholars know, who had been in close relationship with Winckelmann: Ennio Quirino Visconti (1751-1819), successor of Winckelmann in the office of papal commissioner of antiquities, Cardinal Alexander Albani (1692-1779), conveyors, bread Lord and friend Winckelmann, Johann Friedrich and Reiffenstein (1719-1793), Russian and Saxony- gothaischer Councilor, a close friend of Winckelmann. From Reiffenstein the Count had run through the city. He saw him as a good friend and scientific advisor. Him he dedicated his 1808 perfect catalog, the description of his collection. During a month-long stay in Naples, from where he visited the excavations at Pompeii and Herculaneum, he also learned the English ambassador at the court of Naples, Sir William Hamilton (1730-1803), and know its famous first collection of vases.
Back in Erbach, he took over the government in 1775. It was his special attention to the improvement of agriculture and the promotion of commerce, trade and transport. From January to June 1791, he made a second trip to Italy. In Rome, Count Franz again met many acquaintances, whom he knew from his first stay here. Together with Reiffenstein visited the Count many collections, including the vases collection of the painter and art dealer Thomas Jenkins (1720-1798) and the collection of cut stones at the Palazzo Strozzi. Through his impressions gained and by the influence of his friends Reiffenstein and Visconti was the Count claims to be a collector. When purchasing the archaeologist Aloys Hirt Ludwig him were also still (1759-1837) and the two sculptors Alexander Trippel (1744-1793) and Bartolomeo Cavaceppi (1716-1799) to assist you. The latter worked for the Count as a restorer. On March 28, the earned to antiques were sent to Erbach.
The end of April drove the Count's journey to Naples society. During the three -week stay, the palaces of Portici and Capo di Monte been visited, where the antiquities found in Pompeii and Herculaneum were erected. In addition, we went to Pompeii and Baiae. The Count also made the acquaintance Johann Heinrich Wilhelm Tischbein (1751-1829), the Director of the Academy of Fine Arts in Naples. This was just preparing the engravings for the publication of the second collection of vases of Hamilton. Table leg showed them the engravings for this work, so that the Count some pictures were known at least on the vases of the second collection of Hamilton, even though he could not even consider this. Thus encouraged, he acquired for his collection a few vases in Naples; previously had worked for him in this respect, to quote the artist Jacob Philipp Hackert ( 1737-1807 ).
The gathered on this second trip to Italy antiquities collection comprised thirty-three marble sculptures, about one hundred and seventy vases, bronzes, some mosaic remains and Aegyptiaca. For their Auftstellung the Count had let prepare several plans for a redesign of the rooms of the castle Erbacher already in Italy by his painter Johann Wilhelm Wendt (1747-1815), which should take up his newly acquired collection of antiquities. These rooms have been decorated in the Baroque wing of the castle. The sculptures have been distributed to the two today so-called Roman Room, the vases to be called Hetrurisches Cabinet. The first Roman room was the reception room, the second Roman Room Home Office, and the so-called Hetrurische Cabinet served as his bedroom.
In the years 1804-1805 was built by Wendt from a room on the ground floor of the castle Erbacher and four overlying rooms nor the so-called Knights' Hall in Gothic style. He served the formation of the extensive collection of medieval armor and weapons
Until the mediatization 1806 Franz was sovereign of the territory of the founded by his father, Count Georg Wilhelm Erbach- Erbach line. 1820 to 1821 he was a member of the first chamber of the Estates of the Grand Duchy of Hesse.
Mother of Francis I: Leopoldine, born wild and Rhine Countess of Salm- Grumbach (1731-1795)
Francis I at a young age
Francis I. with his seven children
Collector
Francis I became famous Erbach- Erbach to the collections of antiques and the Knights' Hall (1805 ) presented by Castle Erbach old German objects ( armor, glass paintings) that make up the core of the present Castle Collection. In addition, he also collected antlers.
Pioneer of provincial Roman archeology
The antique inspired not least by his studies and his travels Graf was the first to systematically Odenwald Limes, its watchtowers and forts had more or less dig. The forts Lützelbach, wind gap, Grove House, Würzberg, Eulbach, Hessel Bach and Schloßau were uncovered on his behalf by Johann Friedrich Knapp and examined. Parts of the building remains and other finds were included in the count's collection of antiquities and in the Eulbacher park where there was the Count's hunting lodge. Also, a preliminary study of Roman villa Haselburg goes back to an arrangement of the count. Through its extensive archaeological activities Franz I wrote by hand the so-called Erbacher catalogs that can be viewed in their efforts to accuracy as early archaeological and scientific documentation.
Ivory carvers
Count Franz was the initiator of ivory carving in Erbach (see German Ivory Museum Erbach ) ..