Franz Anton Maulbertsch, St Florian, 1700s by Atelier Liesjes

About "Franz Anton Maulbertsch, St Florian, 1700s"

by Atelier Liesjes

About the artwork

Florian of Lorch (Latin: Florianus; German: Florian von Lorch) ( - c. 304) was an officer in the Roman army as military administrator of a city in the Roman province of Noricum. He was a Christian but kept his faith hidden. He is said to have saved a village from a fire by praying and throwing one bucket of water over the blaze; hence he is also associated with firefighters and those who protect us from fire, including chimney sweeps.

He is the patron of Poland, of Linz (Austria), of chimney sweeps and of firefighters. His feast day is 4 May. He is also patron of Upper Austria, along with St Leopold.

Austrian artist Franz Anton Maulbertsch was famous not only for his frescoes and altar paintings, but also for his small forms. The character of St Florian is consistent with the religious theme of representations that was dominant in the artist's works. He was equipped with attributes befitting this saint: a fireman's helmet and a bucket from which water flowed. The artist used subtle lighting that brings out the saint's silhouette and pale colours. The light shining from the upper left corner indicates his divine nature.

Franz Anton Maulbertsch (Langenargen, now Germany 7 June 1724 - Vienna, Austria 8 August 1796) was an Austrian painter and engraver, one of the most renowned exponents of Rococo painting in the German and Hungarian regions.