Franz Sebald Unterberger

Born Cavalese, 1 Aug 1706; died Cavalese, 23 Jan 1776.

Painter, brother of (1) Michael Angelo Unterberger. He probably received his first painting lessons from Michael Angelo and spent some time in Venice, where he became familiar with the works of Giambattista Pittoni. Local Tyrolean painters such as Stephan Kessler I, Ulrich Glantschnigg and Matthias Pussjäger (1654–1734) also influenced his style of painting and composition. Around 1731 he moved to Brixen (now Bressanone, Italy), where he spent most of his life. Among his earliest works are a cycle of 24 paintings depicting the Life of St Clare (1731–3), a Road to Calvary and other works for the convent of St Clare in Bressanone. He subsequently fulfilled a large number of commissions, almost all on religious themes, and the majority within the Tyrol and Trentino area. He worked mainly on altarpieces, the most representative being the Baptism (1741) in S Michele, Bressanone, the Virgin of the Rosary in Bressanone Cathedral, St Catherine (1758) in the Chiesa dei Cappuccini, Bressanone, an altarpiece depicting the Holy Family (c. 1750; Trent, Mus. Dioc.) and the very expressive late work, the Stoning of St Stephen (1775–6) in S Stefano, Villanders (now Villandro, Italy).

The characteristics of Franz Sebald Unterberger’s painting style were already formed when he painted the Life of St Clare and showed only minor modifications during the next four decades. His method of painting was spontaneous and flowing, particularly when depicting drapery, decorative details and occasional glimpses of landscape. He also borrowed directly from works by his brother Michael Angelo Unterberger, for example in the Baptism (1741), and from Paul Troger (e.g. the Stoning of St Stephen).

Johann Kronbichler and Olivier Michel. "Unterberger." In Grove Art Online. Oxford Art Online, http://www.oxfordartonline.com.proxy.lib.fsu.edu/subscriber/article/grove/art/T087208pg2 (accessed April 27, 2012).