Karol Lanckoroński

Karl Graf Lanckoroński ( - Brzezie ) (* November 4, 1848 in Vienna, † July 15, 1933 ibid ) was a writer, art collector, patron, Explorer, Vice- President of the State Monuments Office and General Conservator of Galicia. He was of Polish descent and one of the richest and most cultured magnate Austria -Hungary. Its Polish name was Karol Lanckoroński.

Biography

Lanckoroński visited the Vienna Schottengymnasium and studied art history and law, but had to because of the wealth of his family exert no profession after that. In the last years of the reign of Emperor Franz Joseph and for a time even under the Emperor Charles, he was Lord Chamberlain at court. In 1882 he was a participant in a direction of Otto Benndorf expedition to Lycia, 1885/86, he organized himself a research trip through Asia Minor, Pamphylia and Pisidia landscapes. Further journeys took Lanckoroński and more for East Asia. Together with the painter Ludwig Hans Fischer he undertook a world tour. With Hans Makart, he traveled to Spain and Portugal. At home in Vienna and at his country seat in Rodzol he was surrounded by artists like the art historian Max Dvorak, the painters Böcklin and Markart, the sculptor Rodin, the poet Marie von Ebner- Eschenbach and the poets Rilke and Hofmannsthal. After the First World War Lanckoroński worked as a conservationist and played an important role in the preservation of various buildings such as the Wawel Royal Castle in Krakow, as well as other important buildings in Vienna.

In his first marriage he was with Franziska Xaveria born of Attems - Holy Cross (1861-1893), the daughter of Anton August of Attems - Gilleis married. From this marriage came the son of Anton; Franziska died shortly after the birth of Anton's. The second marriage of the Count was of short duration. In his third marriage, he was married to Margaret nee von Lichnowsky ( 1863-1954 ). From this marriage came from the daughters Adelajda and Karolina.

Services

Lanckoroński promoted numerous artists, including the poet Hugo von Hofmannsthal and Rainer Maria Rilke, the painter Arnold Böcklin and Hans Makart and the sculptor Auguste Rodin, Victor Tilgner and Caspar von Zumbusch.

In 1894 he left by Ferdinand Fellner and Hermann Helmer, the Palais Lanckoroński built in neo-baroque style, henceforth the collection Lanckoroński housed - this was exhibited in theaters and also accessible to visitors. Lanckoroński had one of the most valuable private art collections in Vienna, including antique sculptures and paintings by Tintoretto, Canaletto, van Goyen, Feuerbach, Makart, Thoma and Rembrandt. The Palais Lanckoroński was demolished after the Second World War, the rest of the collection is now located mainly in Poland. Between 1894 and 1896 he had the Faniteum in Ober Sankt Veit as a mausoleum for his first late wife Franziska Xaveria Attems - Holy Cross, called " Fani " build. The building is now a protected monument and serves the Carmelite convent.