DOI issue:
Nr. 2
DOI article:Artykuły
DOI article:Kemperl, Metoda: Villa de Seppi at Hrastnik and the Painters Eduard Lebiedzki and Constanze von Breuning: Unknown Paintings
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.71008#0332
326
Metoda Kemperl
died on 20 December 1914 at the age of 68.20 This means that the correct year of her birth
is 1846.
While collecting material for the Leksikon cerkva na Slovenskem (Lexicon of Churches
in Slovenia)21 in 2004, I came across three paintings on the organ loft in the church at
Hrastnik in Slovenia, all signed and dated 1896. Two of them are by Eduard Lebiedzki,
and one by Constanze von Breuning. The paintings are recorded in the Topography on
Hrastnik22 but have not yet been analysed.
They originate from Villa de Seppi's chapel at Hrastnik in Slovenia, which was com-
missioned by Emma de Seppi. Constanze von Breuning is the author of other six paintings
preserved in the grand hall of the villa as supraporte paintings; neither have they been
subject to art historical analysis.23 Since this paper presents the content of these paintings,
they are assessed through iconographic and contextual analysis. Therefore, it is necessary
first to provide some details about the patron who commissioned them. Emma de Seppi
was daughter of Francesco Gossleth (Franz von Gossleth), a wealthy industrialist and
merchant from Trieste (today in Italy). Therefore, let us first discuss the role of Trieste in
the 19th century, the role of Francesco Gossleth in the then society of the city, and his
connection with Hrastnik.
Trieste and Francesco Gossleth
Trieste started developing in the first half of the 18th century, when it was awarded the
status of a free port (porto franco) by Emperor Charles VI in 1719. It retained this status
until 1891 and, in the meantime, became the fourth largest city of the Austrian or Austro-
Hungarian Monarchy. After new residential quarters had been built, the number of its
inhabitants rose from 3,865 in 1735 to more than 112,000 in 1890. It became the place of
opportunity for all who wished to succeed and gain wealth through crafts and trade. Pe-
ople immigrated to Trieste from the entire Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, Great Britain,
Greece, Germany, Armenia, and Italy, thus the city was distinctly multinational. It was the
main commercial port and shipyard of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy. Its role was fur-
ther strengthened with the setting up of the Austrian Lloyd's trade line in 1836 and with
the construction of the most important infrastructure of that time, i.e. the Trieste-Vienna
railway line, completed in the middle of the century.24
Francisco Gossleth was among those who came to Trieste to seek opportunities. Born
in 1792 in Budapest, Hungary, he was trained there to become a fine woodworker. Having
arrived in Trieste in 1814, he soon started working in the workshop of Bernard Fehn from
Germany. Upon Fehn's return to Bavaria in 1823, Gossleth continued making furniture.
He soon became one of the two most important furniture manufacturers and traders in
Trieste. There were as many as 12 furniture manufacturers in the city at that time. Carpen-
try or fine woodworking was a lucrative business in the period of economic prosperity, as
20 http://www.friedhoefewien.at/eportal2/fhw/vs/beginVerstorbenensuche.do?resetSearch=true (accesed January 3, 2016).
21 Luka VIDMAR, ed., Leksikon cerkva na Slovenskem, Celje 2004-2009.
22 Blaz RESMAN et al., Upravna enota Hrastnik: obcina Hrastnik, Ljubljana 2013, p. 92.
23 These paintings are also mentioned in the Topography on RESMAN et al., Upravna enota, p. 105.
24 Milan BUFON, "Trst," in Enciklopedija Slovenije, 13, Ljubljana 1999, pp. 352-354; Carlo MILIC, "Il privilegio
della Periferia," in Abitare la Periferia dell 'Imperio nell '800, ed. Carlo MILIC, Trieste 1900, pp. 2-4; Anna GONNEL-
LA, "Lo svilupo economico e commercial," in Maria Teresia, Trieste e il Porto, ed. Cesare RUSSO, Udine 1980,
pp. 78-88.
Metoda Kemperl
died on 20 December 1914 at the age of 68.20 This means that the correct year of her birth
is 1846.
While collecting material for the Leksikon cerkva na Slovenskem (Lexicon of Churches
in Slovenia)21 in 2004, I came across three paintings on the organ loft in the church at
Hrastnik in Slovenia, all signed and dated 1896. Two of them are by Eduard Lebiedzki,
and one by Constanze von Breuning. The paintings are recorded in the Topography on
Hrastnik22 but have not yet been analysed.
They originate from Villa de Seppi's chapel at Hrastnik in Slovenia, which was com-
missioned by Emma de Seppi. Constanze von Breuning is the author of other six paintings
preserved in the grand hall of the villa as supraporte paintings; neither have they been
subject to art historical analysis.23 Since this paper presents the content of these paintings,
they are assessed through iconographic and contextual analysis. Therefore, it is necessary
first to provide some details about the patron who commissioned them. Emma de Seppi
was daughter of Francesco Gossleth (Franz von Gossleth), a wealthy industrialist and
merchant from Trieste (today in Italy). Therefore, let us first discuss the role of Trieste in
the 19th century, the role of Francesco Gossleth in the then society of the city, and his
connection with Hrastnik.
Trieste and Francesco Gossleth
Trieste started developing in the first half of the 18th century, when it was awarded the
status of a free port (porto franco) by Emperor Charles VI in 1719. It retained this status
until 1891 and, in the meantime, became the fourth largest city of the Austrian or Austro-
Hungarian Monarchy. After new residential quarters had been built, the number of its
inhabitants rose from 3,865 in 1735 to more than 112,000 in 1890. It became the place of
opportunity for all who wished to succeed and gain wealth through crafts and trade. Pe-
ople immigrated to Trieste from the entire Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, Great Britain,
Greece, Germany, Armenia, and Italy, thus the city was distinctly multinational. It was the
main commercial port and shipyard of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy. Its role was fur-
ther strengthened with the setting up of the Austrian Lloyd's trade line in 1836 and with
the construction of the most important infrastructure of that time, i.e. the Trieste-Vienna
railway line, completed in the middle of the century.24
Francisco Gossleth was among those who came to Trieste to seek opportunities. Born
in 1792 in Budapest, Hungary, he was trained there to become a fine woodworker. Having
arrived in Trieste in 1814, he soon started working in the workshop of Bernard Fehn from
Germany. Upon Fehn's return to Bavaria in 1823, Gossleth continued making furniture.
He soon became one of the two most important furniture manufacturers and traders in
Trieste. There were as many as 12 furniture manufacturers in the city at that time. Carpen-
try or fine woodworking was a lucrative business in the period of economic prosperity, as
20 http://www.friedhoefewien.at/eportal2/fhw/vs/beginVerstorbenensuche.do?resetSearch=true (accesed January 3, 2016).
21 Luka VIDMAR, ed., Leksikon cerkva na Slovenskem, Celje 2004-2009.
22 Blaz RESMAN et al., Upravna enota Hrastnik: obcina Hrastnik, Ljubljana 2013, p. 92.
23 These paintings are also mentioned in the Topography on RESMAN et al., Upravna enota, p. 105.
24 Milan BUFON, "Trst," in Enciklopedija Slovenije, 13, Ljubljana 1999, pp. 352-354; Carlo MILIC, "Il privilegio
della Periferia," in Abitare la Periferia dell 'Imperio nell '800, ed. Carlo MILIC, Trieste 1900, pp. 2-4; Anna GONNEL-
LA, "Lo svilupo economico e commercial," in Maria Teresia, Trieste e il Porto, ed. Cesare RUSSO, Udine 1980,
pp. 78-88.