Balthasar Neumann

Happy Birthday Balthasar Neumann!! This German architect was born in 1687. He was a German military engineer who then became an architect in the Rococo style. He is best known for his design of the Wurzburg residence, an impressive, well-proportioned palace and the Basilica of the Fourteen Helpers, which is considered his most notable work. The chapel has a legend that tells of a child coming to a shepherd 3 separate times and finally comes with 13 others, claiming to be helpers. Miraculous healings then began and the brothers who the land belonged to had the Basilica built.

Rococco-After the death of Louis XIV, French life moved from centering in Versailles (and all its grandiose style and splendor) to Paris and focused on smaller more comfortable homes. Rococco refers to “rock-work” and is an interior style of the 1730’s which did extend somewhat to painting. It consisted of small C curves and scrolls, joyful and pretty, with porcelain, gold and silversmith work. The style fell out of favor by the 1740’s, only really popular in France and somewhat in Germany and Austria.