Medieval Bronzes Project

PI M. Mehofer, VIAS, University Vienna

The famous medieval seven branched “Agnes” candelabra is housed at the Klosterneuburg monastery near Vienna. It is closely related with the founder of the monastery – the Babenberg Duke Leopold III and his wife, the emperor’s daughter Agnes, who donated to piece to the monastery around 1130 AD.

 The candelabra has a height of 4.3 m, broadness of 2.8 m and a mass of approx. 200-300 kg. It is composed of 57 copper-based metal cylinders with pierced ornamental decorations. During a restoration in the 1970 all corrosion was removed, leading to a blank metallic surface. All glass inlays are modern additions.

 Within this project a transdisciplinary team of international researchers, whose expertise is nested around this remarkable piece of medieval bronze art will target questions connected to its production and use, provenance of the metal and medieval exchange networks.

 By combining methods from humanities and natural sciences like portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF), SEM-EDS, photogrammetry for high precision 3D modeling and 3D X-ray tomography with the results of the conservatorial, historical and art historical research, the object biography of the candelabra should be described.

 First analyses with pXRF (VIAS, University Vienna) were made in summer 2024, allowing to classify it as copper-based alloy with varying tin (Sn), Zinc (Zn) or lead (Pb) concentrations. Modern additions, made by the conservators in the 1970ties, were identified due to their deviating metal composition.

 The following research will concentrate on the documentation of the production technology as well as on later changes and additions. Assessing the extensive written archives of the Klosterneuburg Abbey to describe the placement, use and conservation of the candelabra is crucial to understand the use of this highly sophisticated object within its ecclesial context. The co-operation with PD Dr. A. Zajic, IMAFO, Austrian Academy of Science forms the fundament for these examinations.

 As a next step, a systematic analytical survey of all components of the candelabra is planned, to get an overview over the chemical composition of each construction element. 

As part of a study trip in May 2025, a comparative object from the 2nd quarter of the 12th century AD could be studied and its material composition analyzed at the Museum of Arts and Crafts in Hamburg.

 More information to follow…

Partners
–         MMag. W. C. Huber, Custos, Klosterneuburg Abbey, Austria
–        M. Haltrich, Forschungsstelle, Klosterneuburg Abbey, Austria
–        Prof. Dr. F. Daim, IMAFO, Austrian Academy of Sciences 
–        Dipl.-Restaurator C. Tinzl, DI Dr. techn. R. Linke, Dept. of conservation and restoration, Federal Monuments Authority Austria
–        Prof. Dr. E. Pernicka, Curt Engelhorn Centre f. Archaeometry Mannheim
–        PD Dr. Andreas Zajic, IMAFO, Austrian Academy of Sciences, FWF-project “PREMISIS”
–         Mag. E. Krebs, conservator, Vienna
–         Dr. Fr. Kirchweger, Custos, Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna
–         Prof. Dr. A. Worm, Institute of Art History, University Tübingen

Gefördert durch: Land Niederösterreich (20206-2028)

Literatur
P. Bloch, Der siebenarmige Leuchter in Klosterneuburg, in: Jahrbuch des Stiftes Klosterneuburg, Bd. 2, Wien 1962, 163 174.
N. D. Fischer, “Facies et candelabrum.” (Exodus 25,31). Der siebenarmige Leuchter im Stift Klosterneuburg, unpubl. Diplomarbeit, Universität Graz.
O. von Falke, Romanisches Bronzegerät aus Verona, in: Pantheon, Bd. 9, München 1932, 165-167
H. Fillitz, M. Pippal, Schatzkunst: Die Goldschmiede- und Elfenbeinarbeiten aus österreichischen Schatzkammern des Hochmittelalters. Residenz-Verlag, Salzburg 1987.
H. Fillitz, Kunst aus Österreich : Früh- und Hochmittelalter, Prestel-München-New York 1998.
E. Krebs, Gutachten zum Metallbestand; siebenarmiger Leuchter, Typoskript 2012.
G. Mazanetz, Marken und Zeichen am siebenarmigen Leuchter in Klosterneuburg, in: Jahrbuch des Stiftes Klosterneuburg, N.F. 2, Wien 1962, S. 175-192
U. Mende, Zur Topographie sächsischer Bronzewerkstätten im welfischen Einflussbereich, in: Heinrich der Löwe und seine Zeit. Herrschaft und Repräsentation der Welfen 1125–1235, hrsg. von Jochen Luckhardt–Frank Niehoff–Gerd Biegel (Ausst.-Kat. Braunschweig, Herzog Anton Ulrich Museum, Bd. 2, München 1995) 427–439.
O. Werner, Analysen mittelalterlicher Bronzen und Messinge, in: Archäologie und Naturwissenschaft, Bd. 1, Mainz 1977, 144-220.
E. Pernicka, J. Lutz, J., Th. Stöllner, Bronze Age Copper produced at Mitterberg, Austria, and its distribution, Archaeologia Austriaca, 100, 2016, 19–56. https://doi.org/10.1553/ARCHAEOLOGIA100S19
A. Worm, „[…] die alte gedaechtnus sichtbarlich ernewert“ Der siebenarmige Leuchter in Klosterneuburg als Erinnerungsort der Stiftsgründung und Reliquiar*, JAHRBUCH des Stiftes Klosterneuburg, Neue Folge BAND 24 (2022), 73–99.