Josef Benedikt Kuriger[1] (May 25, 1754 in Einsiedeln, Schwyz - July 6, 1819 in Wettingen)[2] was a Swiss goldsmith, sculptor, modeller and model maker who pioneered embryological modeling.
Josef Benedikt Kuriger was the son of goldsmith Augustin Mathias Kuriger (1723-1780), and the younger brother of the goldsmith and wax sculptor Josef Anton Kuriger (1750-1830). In c. 1768, Joseph Benedikt followed his brother Joseph Anton to Paris. There he was taught by the sculptor Étienne-Pierre-Adrien Gois.[3] Some sources say that he was first taught by Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne.[4]
Kuriger's work at the anatomical theatre in Paris gave him the experience to move from portraits and devotional objects to anatomy and obstetrics.[5] Kuriger created wax models of embryos, based on Samuel Thomas von Soemmerring's Icones embryonum humanorum her.[6] In c. 1778, he returned to Einsiedeln and settled there, only occasionally returning to Paris.
The William Tell monument behind the St. Peter and Paul Church in Bürglen (since 1891) was created by Josef Benedikt Curiger in 1786.
Josef Benedikt Kuriger's sons were also artists, the first (and best known) one being Ildefons Kuriger (Einsiedeln 1782-1841 Vienna), sculptor and painter, modeller, draughtsman). Augustin Mathias Kuriger (Einsiedeln 15.12.1787-Paris 01.10.1811) and Franz Xaver Kuriger (Einsiedeln 13.02.1790-Paris 02.10.1811), also wax sculptors in Paris, died there in 1811 under unexplained circumstances. Both were trained by Étienne-Pierre-Adrien Gois. They also seem to have trained as goldsmiths under "Rontiers" (who may be Alexandre Roëttiers de Montaleau[fr], goldsmith and et medalist, who died relatively young in 1808). Their younger brothers Nikolaus Adelrich Kuriger (Einsiedeln 1797-1820 Paris) and Josef Benedikt Kuriger (Einsiedeln 1798-1816?) were also wax sculptors. [7]
Sources
↑ His first name is also spelt Joseph, and his surname Curiger, Couriger, Courrigé, Curriger, Curriguer. In a French context, he may be named Joseph-Benoist Couriger.
↑ Archives Suisses des Traditions Populaires, Schweizerische Gesellschaft für Volkskunde, 1987, S. 200
↑ Archives alsaciennes d'histoire de l'art, Istra (Strasbourg), 1924:
↑ Nick Hopwood: "Plastic Publishing in Embryology" in: Models. Third Dimension of Science, Stanford University Press, 2004, S.171
↑ Nick Hopwood: Embryos in wax. Models from the Ziegler Studio, Whipple Museum of the History of Science, 2002, S.11
↑ Swiss students at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris:
Literature
Adrian Christoph Suter: Die anatomischen Reliefdarstellungen des Einsiedler Kleinkünstlers J. B. Kuriger, unpublished dissertation at the Medizinhistorisches Institut der Universitat Bern, 1986.
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