Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt

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Hildebrandt's Upper Belvedere is one of the best known Austrian palaces.

Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt (14 November 1668 - 16 November 1745) ^[1] was an Italian-trained Austrian architect who designed many stately buildings and churches. Among his more important works are the palaces for Count Schönborn in Göllersdorf (1712-1717) and the palaces for Prince Eugene of Savoy (the two Belvedere palaces in Vienna, 1713-1723, Schloßhof, 1729, and Ráckeve, H, 1701ff.).^[1]

[edit] Life and work

Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt was born on November 14, 1668, in Genoa (Italy).

Hildebrandt was the son of an Italian mother and a German father. Hildebrandt studied under C. Fontana in Rome,^[1] and he studied civil and military engineering under Prince Eugene of Savoy also in Rome, and military engineering in Piedmont. Hildebrandt became the favorite architect of Prince Eugène.^[1]

In 1696, Hildebrandt established himself thereafter in the Austrian capital, Vienna, where he worked for such noble families as the Dauns, Harrachs, [List of rulers of Schönborn|Schönborn]]s, and Starhembergs, and also Prince Eugene himself.

In 1700, Hildebrandt became Hofburg court engineer, in 1711, head of the Court dept. of building, and in 1723, Hildebrandt became Hofburg Court architect.^[1] At the Hofburg, however, Hildebrandt could not assert himself against the rivalry of the two Fischer von Erlachs and worked mainly for aristocrats.^[1] Unlike the monumental works of Johann Bernard Fischer von Erlach, Hildebrandt's works seem more committed at a personal level and include more decorative elements.^[1] This helped his popularity spread to the middle class. Hildebrandt united Italian and French elements and shaped the development of the baroque style in south Germany and Austria.^[1]

Hildebrandt was also involved in many great projects which were developed by other architects (e.g. Würzburg, Göttweig, Pommersfelden, Palais Schwarzenberg).^[1]

From 1713 to 1716, he was employed by the wealthy and powerful Kinsky family of Austria, building their residence, the Palais Kinsky, in Vienna. From 1723 on, he was inspector-general of the imperial buildings. His two best known works, the Upper Belvedere (1721-1722) and the Lower Belvedere (1714-1716), were both commissioned by Prince Eugene of Savoy.

Hildebrandt also worked in Bavaria on the Pommersfelden castle known as Schloss Weissenstein.

Hildebrandt built numerous city palaces in Vienna (e.g. Daun-Kinsky, 1716), his religious buildings are also of great importance (St. Peter's Church and Maria Treu Piaristenchurch in Vienna, Dominican Church in Gabel, Czech Republic, Teutonic Church in Linz).

Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt died on November 16, 1745 in Vienna.