Martin Knoller is said to have said this on his first visit to Neresheim. In the summer months of 1770 to 1775, he realised his self-imposed ambition and created the seven dome frescoes of the abbey church, not only his greatest work, but also an important final chord in the conclusion of baroque fresco painting. It was by no means a matter of course that the Tyrolean, who was born in Steinach am Brenner in 1725, received the commission. Numerous renowned fresco painters were active in the immediate and wider surroundings of Neresheim, but Martin Knoller was already resident in faraway Milan at the time.

The dome frescoes

The dome painting above the organ gallery: Jesus driving the merchants out of the temple.

The Son of God is standing on the top step in front of the entrance to the pillars. His figure is striking because of the colour of his robe and the force of his gesture. The zealot for his Father's house does not tolerate any resistance. The sellers hurry to escape from the threateningly curved rope. One of them climbs over the banister and knocks over the egg basket. The smashed eggs, the furious look on the shopkeeper's face and the angry farmer who does not want to understand that his cattle are disturbing the peace of the temple courtyard - how vividly all this is depicted!

 

The dome painting above the pulpit: The twelve-year-old Jesus teaching in the temple.

The boy sits in the midst of the scribes on an elevated place in a wide, columned hall building, the dome of which rises to a dizzying height. Next to him is a table on which the holy books lie open. The scribes at his feet listen with curious attention to the words of the young teacher. They exchange remarks and are visibly amazed at where this boy has been given such wisdom. Only Mary and Joseph know this as they enter the hall in search of their child.

The eastern half of the main dome painting: The Adoration of the Most Holy Trinity.

Knoller shows the eternal Father with a sceptre in the apex of the main dome. Jesus is next to him. Both of them are surrounded by hosts of angels, and above them is the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove. An almost immense number of figures gather around the triune God. The Mother of God attracts the most attention. She is on the left under her divine Son, in a blue mantle. The crown of stars is above her head. In the middle of the lower row is St. Benedict in a black monk's robe with a rule book and a poison cup. His transfigured gaze is directed upwards.

The western half of the main dome painting.
The painter's art has also brought structure and unity to this giant painting. The order of the saints is arranged in specific groups. They sit and stand on the spiralling rows of clouds, their eyes fixed on the Most Holy Trinity. In his choice of figures, the artist was bound by specifications that the builder had compiled and described in long lists. Among them are numerous churches, monasteries and patron saints of the order to whom the abbey felt particularly attached.

The dome painting in the southern transept: The depiction of Jesus in the temple.
According to the Mosaic Law, the first-born son must be consecrated to God in the temple and redeemed by a purification sacrifice. Diligent in faith and in observance of all the laws, Mary offers her child. The Mother of the Lord kneels in humility before the aged Simeon, who in the robe of the high priest holds the divine Child in his arms, his gaze directed heavenwards. "Now let your servant go in peace, O Lord, for my eyes have seen your salvation!" The intimate consolidation of the action is a masterpiece of Martin Knoller.

The dome painting in the north transept: The baptism of Jesus in the Jordan.
Jesus, standing with his right foot in the water, bows in humility before his cousin John, the Baptist, who lets water trickle from a shell onto his head. The Holy Spirit hovers above him in the form of a dove. An angel holds the Lord's mantle. The central event is bathed in the brightest light. Here Martin Knoller makes use of baroque iconography, according to which the two life-giving elements of water and light are also to be interpreted as symbols of grace: Through him, the Son of God, creation is renewed.

The dome painting above the monks' choir: The Resurrection of the Lord.
Christ has risen from the grave and has overcome death. The raised banner of victory, the gestures and the flowing purple mantle underline the monumental significance of the moment. It is an Easter morning of radiant light. Heavenly choirs cheer their hallelujah. Seized with terror, the Roman burial guard cower. The conquered are crashed down at the feet of the Saviour: Satan, the woman who embodies the world and cupid fall out of the picture frame. Knoller heightens the drama by breaking up the circular composition.

The dome painting above the high altar: The Last Supper.

Christ in the circle of his disciples gives them the miracle of his love, his body and blood in remembrance of his suffering and death. The face radiates dignity. Above him hover adoring angels. To the right and left, people of all ages and positions gather to go to the "Lord's Table." With great skill, Knoller has inserted the architecture into his painting. The painted four-armed hanging basket on the vault of the dome gives the impression of a lamp really hanging down, filling the room with warm light. 

The master

Master of the landscape

Martin Knoller's great skill is not only evident in the long shot. As an outstanding artist of baroque world design, he also reveals himself in detail. He is a master of landscape. Between the lush green of young olive trees, the Jordan River gushes down to the valley over gnarled ivy-covered roots. In the fresco of the baptism, a blue sky full of summery mountains of clouds stretches over groups of people, full of life, who are grouped in the landscape and lend the spatial depth to the picture.

Master of perspective

He is a master of architectural perspective. Whether we look at the towering temple building in the dome painting of the Cleansing of the Temple, look at the temple hall in the fresco of the teaching infant Jesus, follow the delicate contours of the room in the painting of the Presentation of the Temple or follow the arched frieze of the Upper Room, Knoller always knows how to direct our gaze to the central figure, to Christ, through an extremely heightened sense of perspective.

Master of the human figure

He is a master of the human figure. He sharply observes everyday life, yet depicts it full of warmth and enigmatic humour. How else could he have created that monastic Pharisee above the organ loft, armed with his lorgnon, in a critical, even doubtful pose, eyeing the painter's work.

Master of characters

Outstanding characters are to be found among the scribes and apostles. The face and gesture of the aged Simeon in the fresco of the Presentation in the Temple reflect the deep feeling Knoller had for this scene of biblical tradition. The temperament of the Alpine artist and his preference for powerful movement, is reflected in the Resurrection painting, in the figure of the Saviour, as well as in the tomb guards thrown to the ground in surprise.

Master of the fresco technique

Last but not least, Martin Knoller is a master of colour and fresco technique. One must not forget that the painters of that time did not have every desired shade of colour readily available. He had to boil the colours himself, rub them on, create them from the products of nature, from plant juices and rock, which extended to grinding eggshells, which provided the light-warm tones of the sky.

The physical achievement

One should remember that the durability of the frescoes required painting into the damp fresh plaster. The mason applied the mortar for a day's work. The painter pressed the contours of his original-sized sketches into the still-wet foundation with the point, and then, lying backwards on the hanging scaffold, full of plight and physical exertion, executed section by section as quickly as possible. Every brushstroke in the fresco painting was final, nothing could be covered up or retouched later. One has to take these technical conditions of the time into account if one wants to do justice to Knoller and his enormous symphony of colour, which still shines undiminished after two hundred years.