Johann Georg
Platzer

Austria • 1704−1761

Biography and information

He was born in 1704 in Sait Michaela in the Tyrol, and died there in 1761 the Son of Johann Victor Platzer. The pupil of his stepfather Josef Anton Kessler, then of his uncle Johann Christoph Platzer in Passau. From 1728 he worked mainly in Vienna.

The son of artist Johann Victor Platzer, he studied in Passau with his stepfather Josef Anton Kesler and his uncle Christoph Platzer. From 1721 he lived in Vienna. In 1728 he entered the Vienna Academy of fine arts. Under the influence of Ottmar elliger of small Dutch paintings, as well as the late Mannerist paintings from the collection of Rudolph II, he created the Vienna gallant painting, which was continued by his friend Annik. Albert von Sebes of Breslau, formerly in Vienna between 1728 and 1730, supported Platzer, collecting his small paintings on copper, of which 13 are now in the Museum of the city of Wroclaw. Favorite stories of Platzer was gallant or holidays, mythological ("Bacchus and Ariadne", "the battle of the centaurs with the lapiths", Paris, Louvre). The works of the artist are inherent to the jewel-like colors, the precision of the miniaturist, the abundance of characters and accessories, the richness of the costumes, the heavy folds of the drapery and carpets, pearl white leather women, silver gray and green-blue background (the"Gallant company", Prague, NAT. Gal.; "Concert", Nuremberg, German NAT. Museum). Among the masterpieces of the artist - paintings "the master painter" and "the Workshop of the sculptor" (Vienna Historical Museum). Platzer also performed several religious paintings (altar, "the adoration of the Magi", Monteagle, Dreikonigskirche).