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Palais Liechtenstein (Fürstengasse
1, 1090 Wien)
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History of Origen
The ground on which the palace was to be built was acquired by Johann
Adam Andreas von Liechtenstein in 1687. Domencio Egidio Rossi was
given the task of designing a summer palace. Construction began
according to his design in 1691.The following year however, Domenicio
Martinelli intervened, causing an interruption to building which,
from 1694, enabled work on the completion of the Majorats House
in Bank Street (Bankgasse) to be brought forward. This also gave
Martinelli the opportunity of taking command of construction at
Rossau. He is responsible for the severe structure of the facade
which resembles more a city palace than a summer palace. The side
wings are joined to the core of the building giving a general block-type
impression. The shell was probably completed shortly after 1700
whereas work on the outer buildings continued till 1711.
Interior Decoration
This was commenced in 1704. The prince, a lover of art, attached
great importance to the fact that his summer residence be splendidly
decorated. He commissioned some of the most prominent artists of
the time to carry out the work.
The ceiling of the entrance hall (Sala Terrena) and that of the
first floor (Piano Nobile) were fashioned by the stucco master,
Santino Bussi (1663 -1737). Apart from a handsome sum in gulden,
Bussi also received 40 buckets of wine. This was not considered
an unusual form of payment for the times.
The contract for the ceiling frescoes went to Bologna in 1692 to
the artist Marcantonio Franceschini (1648-1729). He created the
paintings for the ceiling of the Piano Nobile in his workshop in
Bologna which were then placed in position on the stucco ceiling
in Vienna. The theme of these pictures was the portrayal of Greek
gods and heroic sagas.
The frescoes painted by Johann Michael Rottmayr (1648-1730), for
the 27 medallions in the Sala Terrena are also of a mythological
and allegorical nature. In the sphere pertaining to the allegorical
portrayal of the arts, we find some interesting details relating
to the newly-built palace. The crest of the Liechtenstein Family
is depicted in the allegory of sculpture. Rottmayr signed and dated
his work (1708) in the medallion showing the allegory of painting.
The archive and library rooms on the ground floor which are now
not open to the general public and the ceilings above the staircases,
have as well been decorated with frescoes by the same artist. (The
frescoes above the staircases are no longer visible as they were
covered by oil paintings at the beginning of the last century during
the course of a remodelling of the building ). The sculptured ornamentation
in the Sala Terrena and on the outside of the building was created
in the workshop of Giovanni Giuliani (1663-1744) This artist is
also responsible for the ornamentation in the city palace of the
Liechtenstein family.
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The Hercules Hall
The grand hall which is the representative nucleus of the palace,
has been decorated the most sumptuously. The flooring as well as
the door frames and bases of the columns, consist of grey marble.
Sixteen monumental half columns of red artificial marble, lend structure
to the walls which extend over two storeys. Panels have been set
in between the columns of which those on the side walls, are thought
to be from the school of Andreas Pozzo. The three paintings on the
window-side of the opposite wall, stem from Marcantonio Franceschini.
These were probably put in position at a later date as the original
elevation plan shows a gallery window that would have provided a
view of the activity in the grand hall on the floor below.
The ceiling fresco stands out above the wide gilt ledge and depicts
the deeds and triumphs of an ancient virtuous hero. Allusion is
made in this form to the heroic deeds of the emperor which were
recorded by the prince. Andrea Pozzo (1642-1709), created this fresco
in the years between 1704 and 1708. The pseudo architecture, which
is painted to appear as a continuation of the actual architectural
structure of the hall, effects a visual enlargement of that area.
The scenes captured here relate to the life of Hercules on earth.
Corresponding to the theme of glorification which takes place in
Olympus, i.e. in the supernatural realm, the events in the eternal
celestial realm which unfold above the architecture, are continued.
The illusion of a dome, which bears no relation to the actual slight
curvature of the ceiling, is achieved by narrowing the perspective
of the continuation in the architectural parts of the wall, columns
and ledges. This pseudo effect is most deceptive when the observer
stands in the middle of the room.
Use of the Palace throughout the centuries
In the 18th century the palace was used by the Liechtenstein family
as a summer residence and for prestigious celebrations. The Sala
Terrena then was an open entrance hall and served as a thoroughfare
to the park. The Piano Nobile with its grand hall was used mainly
for festivities. Living quarters were to be found on second floor
with its low ceiling which could only be reached by ascending two
spiral staircases.
At the beginning of the 19th century, Prince Johann I. Josef Liechtenstein
(1760-1836), decided to gather the family's extensive art collection
from the palace in Bank Street and from various castles and to exhibit
it at the palace in Rossau. For this purpose, the ceiling frescoes
created by the Venetian artist Antonio Bellocci (1654-1715) for
the palace in Bank Street were also brought here and positioned
onto the ceiling of the second floor. The frescoes by Rottmayr above
the staircase were, at that time, covered by oil paintings acquired
from this collection. The triumphal arch-type entrance gate to the
Liechtenstein Park was erected by the court architect Josef Hardtmuth
(1759-1816) in the course of alterations involving the re-dedication
of the palace and dated 1814.
The then newly-installed Liechtenstein Art Collection was one of
the first great galleries of the aristocracy to be thrown open to
the general public. Owing to the war in 1944, it was moved to Vaduz
in 1948.
The Austrian Construction Centre was housed in the palace from 1955
until 1978. The building was renovated between 1978 and 1979 to
serve as home to the newly founded Museum of Modern Art (founded
in 1975) At the end of 2000 it was moved out and re-located at the
Museum Quarters where it re-opened in the autumn of 2001.
The entire valuable art substance of the palace in particular the
ceiling frescoes by Bellucci and Franscschini, the frescoes by Pozzo
and Rottmayr as well as the complete ceiling stucco by Bussi, have
been thoroughly restored.
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