Albert Ilg

1847-1896 Austrian

Albert Ilg

Reevaluated Baroque, promoted Neo-Baroque national style

Albert Ilg was an Austrian art historian. Ilg was curator of the Museum of Art and Industry in Vienna from 1873, curator of the imperial collections (now the Kunsthistorisches Museum) from 1876 and head of the collection of weapons and art-industrial objects there from 1884. As Rudolf Eitelberger's successor, he published the source publications on art history. His main work is the first monograph on Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach. With this work, he took the initiative to re-evaluate Baroque art history. At the same time, he campaigned for the Neo-Baroque to be regarded as an Austrian "national style". To this end, he published the pamphlet Die Zukunft des Barockstils. Eine Kunstepistel under the pseudonym Bernini the Younger. The interior of the Kunsthistorisches Museum and the sculptural decoration of the Neue Burg were designed according to his specifications. Albert Ilg was also responsible for the translation of Cennino Cennini's manual on painting, the Libro dell'arte o trattato della peintura. He rests in an honorary grave at the Vienna Central Cemetery (31A-2-10). A portrait medallion of Franz Xaver Pawlik is attached to the tomb. In 1899, Ilgplatz in Vienna's Leopoldstadt district (2nd district) was named after him.

Artworks by this artist