Roman heritage
The Drau Valley was once home to the only Roman city in the Tyrol. The town ofAguntum
, which flourished under the Emperor Claudius, is now an archaeological park that invites you to immerse yourself in the life of the wealthy of the first century AD. Here, everything attests to the affluence of the inhabitants of this site, located near precious natural resources. The discovery continues in the Dölsach Museum. In addition to everyday objects, the artistic qualities of the mosaics, frescoes and sculptures testify to the opulence of the population. Archaeological collections are also housed in the Bruck Castle Museum in Lienz and the Tyrolean regional museum, the Ferdinandeum, founded in the 19th century. The first floor covers prehistory, the Roman period and the early Middle Ages.Tyrolean Sacred Art
Pilgrimages developed in the Christian world as early as the 3rd century. From the 10th century onwards, the South Tyrol, at the crossroads of Italy and Germany, was heavily frequented. Built in 950, the Benedictine monastery of St. Georgenberg is the oldest in Tyrol. Renamed Fiecht Abbey (dated 1741 in its present form), it has been a place of devotion since the 11th century. Its museum preserves objects and manuscripts from the 8th century. In the baroque church, one can admire a pietà from 1415 as well as the reliquary of the Holy Blood.
Sculpture is an ancient tradition in the regional culture. Hans Klocker, born in Bressanone, was one of the most representative masters of the 15th century in South Tyrol. To train himself, he combined the knowledge of neighboring countries. In his workshop, he introduced his students to sculpture, particularly to the technique of the ronde bosse, on polychromed lime wood.
His contemporary Michael Pacher (1435-1498) exercised his talent in painting. Hailed as one of the masters of Austrian pictorial art, Pacher assimilated the Nordic traditions and the teachings of the Italian Renaissance, in the tradition of Bellini and Mantegna. He established his painting and sculpture studio in Brunico, known as the most prolific of his time. His altarpieces and frescoes adorn many buildings in Germany and Austria. Among them are the Saint Lawrence altarpiece in the church of San Lorenzo near Brunico; the Gres altarpiece in Bolzano, depicting the coronation of Mary; the altarpiece in the church of St. Wolfgang in Sankt Wolfgang im Salzkammergut (Upper Austria), or in the abbey of Novacella. Among his frescoes, one can admire the Four Fathers of the Church
which decorate the ceiling of the sacristy of the church in Neustift (Bressanone). The Augustinian Museum in Rattenberg is housed in the magnificent Augustinian Monastery. The entire history of Tyrol since the 14th century can be seen in its sacred art. Gothic statues, accessories and liturgical objects evoke popular as well as baroque art in a superb scenography.Classicism and Baroque
In Austria, the long academic period that spanned several centuries was represented in painting by Daniel Gran (1694-1757) and in sculpture by Georg Raphael Donner. The simplicity of reading and the codes of classicism triumphed. Gran's masterpiece remains the fresco in the dome of the Imperial Library in Vienna. The influence of masters such as Troger and then Maulbertsch slowly turned the Viennese school away from the model proposed by Gran.
The sculptor Georg Raphael Donner (1693-1743) developed a Baroque style inspired by nature and antiquity. He was one of the artists who rebelled against pictorial norms. For the anecdote, he was chosen in 2002 to decorate coins.Paint
One of the longest frescoes in the world is in Tyrol. The theme of the 360 degree view is the battle of Independence fought on August 13, 1809 against Napoleon's army. The Tirol Panorama
in Innsbruck is the work of the painter Michael Zeno Diemer (1867-1939) and the master of history painting Franz von Defregger (1835-1921). It is the highlight of a visit to the Imperial Hunters' Museum and unfolds before a breathtaking mountain panorama. Its tormented scenes synthesize the fundamental elements of Tyrolean culture: mountains, religion and the fight for freedom. The Tyrol has given birth to many Austrian and Italian painters, some of whom put the mountains at the heart of their work. Even today, the region is very active artistically, and many artists are present in the area. Among the painters who put the romanticism of the mountains at the center of their art are Eduard Tenschert (1912-2003), who tirelessly painted Tyrolean landscapes, Alfons Walde (1891-1958), whose Cubist influence is evident and who created famous portraits of skiers that can be admired in the city museum (Museum Kitzbühel), Rudolf Preuss (1951), author of a famous view of Innsbruck under the snow, or more recently Martin Töchterle, active for more than 25 years and glorifying the natural beauties of the region.Contemporary art
In the last third of the 20th century, several personalities from Tyrol turned to world cultures. One of them was the photographer, film director and journalist Gert Chesi, born in 1940 in Schwaz. He started out as a photographer for the local press and fought against nationalist thinking at an early stage. He made a name for himself at the end of the 1970s with the publication of the photographic collection Last Africans
. At the same time, he denounced the conditions of education for young girls in the Tyrol. In 1995, he founded a museum of tribal arts in his hometown. Chesi, who lives between Togo and Austria, is constantly building intercultural bridges. To this end, he initiated the House of the Peoples in Schwaz in 1995. The collection is the result of several decades of travelling through Africa and Asia. The diversity of creation is highlighted here. There is little urban art to report, but several art galleries and festivals maintain the current dynamism. At the end of October, the main cultural players meet at the Art Innsbruck contemporary art fair. Around 100 exhibitors present art from the 19th century to the present day. The Mathias Mayr Gallery in Innsbruck is just one of the exhibitors, presenting a variety of local and international contemporary artists.
