Halbierter Entwurf für den Hochaltar in Fürstenzell c. 1740 - 1745

Johann Baptist Straub drew this partial design for the high altar in Fürstenzell. The graphite lines on paper showcase the conceptualization of what was to come. The drawing's linear precision offers insight into Straub's design process. The architectural elements, balanced with swirling foliage and angelic figures, illustrate how the artist considered materials. Straub would have known how stone or wood could be manipulated with a chisel. The drawing represents a crucial part of Straub's work, a translation of pure thought to the physical reality of the church. Straub, as the originator of the design, occupies a position of authority, but the many individuals involved in the building, quarrying, transport, and carving of the altarpiece would have been essential too. By understanding Straub's drawing, and what it led to, we see the monument as the result of skilled work. It bridges the gap between fine art and the wider sphere of craft.