Artwork
Himmelfahrt Christi
Himmelfahrt Christi is an unspecified painting by the Rococo painting artist Anton Joseph von Prenner. It dates from 1722 and is held in the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1722 by Austrian painter and engraver Anton Joseph von Prenner, Himmelfahrt Christi is an oil painting in the Rococo idiom. The work is part of the Alte Pinakothek’s holdings and presents a religious narrative through a vertically divided composition that juxtaposes a celestial ascent with a terrestrial response.
Subject & Meaning
The upper register shows a luminous figure, identified as Christ, ascending toward heaven amid a host of winged angels whose radiant robes illuminate the sky. Below, a congregation dressed in dark garments gathers in awe or prayer, some kneeling, conveying the human reaction to the divine event of the Ascension.
Technique & Style
Von Prenner employs a pronounced chiaroscuro, contrasting the bright white form of the ascending figure against a deep‑toned backdrop, while the lower scene is rendered in shadowy hues that heighten emotional intensity. The Rococo sensibility appears in the graceful movement of the angels and the delicate handling of light across flowing drapery.
History & Provenance
Documented by the artist himself as part of his efforts to record Imperial collections, the painting entered the Bavarian royal holdings and eventually was transferred to the Alte Pinakothek in Munich, where it remains on display as an example of early 18th‑century Austrian religious art.
Artist & collection
Artist
Anton Joseph von Prenner or von Brenner (7 March 1683 – 1761) was an Austrian painter, engraver and publisher. He is mainly known for his publications recording the Imperial art collections kept in the Stallburg gallery.
