Egid Quirin Asam, Tegernsee 1692 - 1750 Mannheim, attributed

Egid Quirin Asam

Tegernsee 1692 - 1750 Mannheim, attributed

Masterfully carved tabernacle door

Bavaria

Rococo/mid-18. century

Lime wood veneered on walnut root wood

Total height 59 cm, total width 30 cm

Height of the carving 51 cm, width of the carving 23 cm



One of the main representatives of the Bavarian Rococo is Egid Quirin Asam, a German sculptor and stucco artist who often worked together with his brother Cosmas Damian Asam (1686-1739), thus creating complete works together. He travelled extensively in southern Germany and its neighbouring regions, but mostly stayed in the central area of Bavaria. His extensive and varied oeuvre particularly reflects the component of sensuality in human nature as an important characteristic of the South German Late Baroque.



The extraordinary work, which is extremely rarely preserved in this manner, is a tabernacle door framed by ears of corn and vines. Winged angel heads are arranged around an altar with a sacrificial lamb, populating small cloud formations and radiating divine light. The Asam brothers are famous for an abundance of figures, especially in heavenly spheres. In dynamic, almost orbiting movement, the angels seem to flutter about, contrasting sharply with the central, rigidly reclining animal. This is the Agnus Dei, or Lamb of God, which is a symbol of Christ and an important part of the Eucharistic liturgy. This also corresponds with the function of the tabernacle, placed on the high altar and containing the communion. The carving therefore emphasises the function of the object in its form; the execution with clear divergence of stillness and movement is an important aspect of the oeuvre of this masterful Rococo sculptor. Since Egid Quirin Asam worked as a stucco artist, he also produced small-scale compositions; it is therefore plausible that he also executed such relief carvings in wood.



A characteristic feature are the two angel heads facing each other confidentially, which can be found in numerous works by Egid Quirin Asam. Two examples are the stucco relief of St. Luke in the former Cistercian monastery church of Aldersbach (2. pillar of the south row, c. 1720) or the Assumption of Mary in the church of the former Augustinian choir monastery of Rohr, also executed in stucco (1722/23). The boldly whirling heads of angels are also framed in a similar way in the altar of the north transept in Rohr (1721-23) with grapes and leaves as frame devices.