Georg Petel
Encyclopedia
Georg Petel was a sculptor of the Early Baroque
period and a European ivory carver
. He was born in 1601/02 in Weilheim
around forty kilometres south-west of Munich
, the son of Clement Petle (or Betle -alternative spellings), a cabinetmaker. He grew up an orphan as both his parents died when he was a small child.
Bartholomäus Steinle, a local carver, became his guardian and was his first trade master. Petel learned ivory carving in the court cabinet-making studio of Christoph Angermair in Munich. At the beginning of the Thirty Years' War
, he left Germany and became an itinerant craftsman. In 1620/21 he met Peter Paul Rubens in Antwerp who was an important influence. He later travelled via Paris to Rome and Genoa, where he was considered the greatest ivory carver of the time.
During the Counter Reformation, Georg Petel created many crucifixes, with original designs and special features. He carved the ivory crucifix, discovered recently at the Carmelite convent in Pontoise, when he was in Paris in 1621 at the age of just nineteen. His mastery of difficult motif is an expression of his genius.
Petel also created figures of saints especially Saint Sebastian, the patron saint of the plague. He chose subjects from mythology and pioneered an earthy eroticism in his treatment of these subjects.
Examples of his work can be found in the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna; the Residenz Museum, Munich; St. Moritz Church, Augsburg and the Bavarian National Museum (Bayerisches Nationalmuseum) in Munich.
Prior to 1620 Apprenticed to Bartholomäus Steinle Weilheim a local carver.
Around 1620 Studied in Munich under Christoph Angermayr where he is thought to have first carved ivory.
1620/1625 Travelled to Antwerp where he became friends with both Peter Paul Rubens and van Dyck. Later he went on to, Paris, Rome and Genoa.
1625 The "Magdalena am Kreuzesstamm" in the Niedermünster at Regensburg
1625 Established himself in Augsburg, Bavaria where he created numerous works including: the second labour of Hercules, a salt barrel showing the Triumph of Venus, statues of St. Sebastian and also St. Chritopher in St. Moritz Church, Augsburg (1628). A Bacchanale in ivory (1630/33) and Statue of the child Jesus (1632),
January 1635 Georg Petel died from the plague in Augsburg at the age of only thirty four.
Georg Petel: Barockbildhauer zu Augsburg von Alfred Schädler, Eva Langenstein, und Peter Volk (1985)
Georg Petel von Theodor Müller und Alfred Schädler (Published - 1964)
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
period and a European ivory carver
Ivory carving
Ivory carving is the carving of ivory, that is to say animal tooth or tusk, by using sharp cutting tools, either mechanically or manually. The ancient craft has now virtually ceased, as since CITES it is illegal under most circumstances throughout the world....
. He was born in 1601/02 in Weilheim
Weilheim
Weilheim is the name of several towns in Germany:*Weilheim in Oberbayern, capital of the district Weilheim-Schongau*Weilheim, Baden-Württemberg, a municipality in the district of Waldshut*Weilheim an der Teck, a town in the district Esslingen...
around forty kilometres south-west of Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, the son of Clement Petle (or Betle -alternative spellings), a cabinetmaker. He grew up an orphan as both his parents died when he was a small child.
Bartholomäus Steinle, a local carver, became his guardian and was his first trade master. Petel learned ivory carving in the court cabinet-making studio of Christoph Angermair in Munich. At the beginning of the Thirty Years' War
Thirty Years' War
The Thirty Years' War was fought primarily in what is now Germany, and at various points involved most countries in Europe. It was one of the most destructive conflicts in European history....
, he left Germany and became an itinerant craftsman. In 1620/21 he met Peter Paul Rubens in Antwerp who was an important influence. He later travelled via Paris to Rome and Genoa, where he was considered the greatest ivory carver of the time.
During the Counter Reformation, Georg Petel created many crucifixes, with original designs and special features. He carved the ivory crucifix, discovered recently at the Carmelite convent in Pontoise, when he was in Paris in 1621 at the age of just nineteen. His mastery of difficult motif is an expression of his genius.
Petel also created figures of saints especially Saint Sebastian, the patron saint of the plague. He chose subjects from mythology and pioneered an earthy eroticism in his treatment of these subjects.
Examples of his work can be found in the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna; the Residenz Museum, Munich; St. Moritz Church, Augsburg and the Bavarian National Museum (Bayerisches Nationalmuseum) in Munich.
Biographical timeline
1601/02 born in Weilheim, forty kilometres south-west of Munich, the son of Clement Petle, a cabinetmaker.Prior to 1620 Apprenticed to Bartholomäus Steinle Weilheim a local carver.
Around 1620 Studied in Munich under Christoph Angermayr where he is thought to have first carved ivory.
1620/1625 Travelled to Antwerp where he became friends with both Peter Paul Rubens and van Dyck. Later he went on to, Paris, Rome and Genoa.
1625 The "Magdalena am Kreuzesstamm" in the Niedermünster at Regensburg
1625 Established himself in Augsburg, Bavaria where he created numerous works including: the second labour of Hercules, a salt barrel showing the Triumph of Venus, statues of St. Sebastian and also St. Chritopher in St. Moritz Church, Augsburg (1628). A Bacchanale in ivory (1630/33) and Statue of the child Jesus (1632),
January 1635 Georg Petel died from the plague in Augsburg at the age of only thirty four.
Biographical works (German)
Georg Petel by Leon KrempelGeorg Petel: Barockbildhauer zu Augsburg von Alfred Schädler, Eva Langenstein, und Peter Volk (1985)
Georg Petel von Theodor Müller und Alfred Schädler (Published - 1964)