Bozzetto: Saint Joseph

Creation

Bozzetto was part of the wooden model of the high altar of the Missionary Fathers’ Church of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary in Horodenka. Johann Pinsel created it in 1752.

Description

The sculptor carved the bozetto with care and precision. The saint’s head is tilted to his left shoulder, his raised left hand holds a lily, while his right hand is drawn to the side. The folds of the drapery are delicately carved. A flared cloak arcs around his body. The head, arms and legs are carved very carefully and are raised.

Johann Pinsel carved the bozzetto of Saint Joseph as an integral and proportionate part of the model of the high altar of the Missionary Fathers’ Church of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary in Horodenka. The miniature represents the sculptor’s early creative period. Bozzetto accurately envisions the expression and emotional tension of the future big sculpture. The head, the curls of hair, the facial expression of the bozzetto indicate that the author had carefully considered the content of meaning ahead. He also calculated the geometric proportions and determined the centre of gravity. Upon closer inspection, it is revealed that the arms have been separately carved and glued by the master and that the right leg of the miniature is the product of restoration dating from an unknown time.

The sculpture is glued to the profiled base, so it is impossible to find an opening on the plinth base from the mounting of the figure in the overall architectural composition of the model of the high altar. Unfortunately, the whereabouts of the model and the rest of the unique bozzetto figures are unknown.