French Decoration Models in Central and Northern German Stuccowork from the Sixteenth to the Mid-Eighteenth Century

The article presents two trends in stuccowork, both based on models from France. One dates back to the early days of a renewal in the use of stucco in central and northern Germany after the Renaissance, while the other emerges only at the turn of the eighteenth century. These two trends, however, are distinct not only chronologically but also in their use of materials: lime stucco versus gypsum stucco. The article explains why this distinction developed, and how it influenced both the visual quality of the executed works and the artistic demands placed on the craftsmen. While the older stylistic trend was based on works executed in France — mostly known in the area under study only through hearsay and typically recreated using locally available material mixtures — the later trend drew primarily on French copperplate engravings. These prints served as inspiration for a reorientation of stucco decoration shortly before the eighteenth century. The article traces the origins of these influences and, where known, briefly introduces the artists and their specific material mixtures. Finally, the significance of stucco decoration is discussed within the context of the Baroque Gesamtkunstwerk — an integrated work of art combining architecture, painting, sculpture, stuccowork and garden design. The article also introduces a previously little-known source from the mid-eighteenth century that confirms this significance. This source helps to dispel a commonly held art historical prejudice by revealing which design models were truly famous in Central Germany at the time.