Not far from the Austrian city of Graz, the small town of Thal is home to the spectacularly motley St. Jacob’s Church. Behind the expressive colours and accumulation of symbolism is the artist Ernst Fuchs, a well-known co-founder of the Viennese school of fantasy realism. The bold new design was added to the existing chapel, and the whole is situated on the ruins of the castle. Interestingly, Arnold Schwarzenegger was baptised in the old church in Thal.
The two Fuchs
Historical documents indicate that the parish in Thal already existed in the 14th century. Located on a small hill, the church was originally part of the castle, but in the early 18th century both buildings burnt down and fell into ruin. At the same time, the small cemetery chapel was extended into a single-nave church with a tall tower and spire.
St James’ Church in Thal survived in this simple form until the 1970s, when the parish began to organise fundraising for an extension. At the time, this plan failed, but in 1987 the bishop of the diocese of Graz-Seckau obliged to help rebuild the small chapel.
The bishop kept his word and the task of expansion was entrusted to Fuchs and the architect Manfred Fuchsbichler. You could already read about the former HERE and HERE, but as far as the architect is concerned, it should be mentioned that Fuchsbichler collaborated at the same time with another imaginative artist, Friedensreich Hundertwasser. From the collaboration of two such creative and expressive artists, one of the most interesting works of total art was created.
Temple of the pilgrims
Fuchs wanted the church to attract attention from afar. For this reason, the trapezoidal roofs of the new chapel were added to the old, albeit rebuilt, block. The painted, patinated roofs form a sloping, sharp shape reminiscent of the structure of crystals or shells. This modern structure grows into the historic copper roof of the old chapel. The gently blue walls of the church are broken by the red of the historic tower. But the most interesting element of the façade may be the pebbled stucco of the windows and walls. There are no classic Baroque window surrounds, just pebbled borders topped with a cross.
Scrolling among the pebbled designs are Christograms (IHS, Chi Rho), a Marian monogram (MA) and the Greek letters alpha and omega (beginning and end). Interestingly, on the back is a two-headed Habsburg eagle made using the same technique. The gravel alludes to the pilgrims who are to be watched over by the church’s patron saint, St James. Another interesting reference is the ram’s horns serving as a handle for the church door. The lamb was, after all, part of the abundant sacrifice of the Old Testament Israelites.
Typical of Fuchs, however, the splendour of symbolism and colour awaits inside. The main chapel, on a trapezoidal plan, resembles a setting from a dream. The clinker veneers familiar from the outside are decorated with golden shells with colourful borders. Even more mystery is introduced by a green entrance composed of jade shades and a colourful eye of providence topped with a tetragram written in Hebrew. From this jade base emerges a Tree of Life with seven arms and several coloured shells. The mixing of, already related, Jewish symbols with later, Christian symbols (the Christogram) is an obligatory feature of Ernst Fuchs’ art.
There are no coincidences
Equally mysterious and colourful are the beams of the exposed roof trusses. The colourful beams form the symbol of the rainbow, a sign of the covenant with God and his promise. The mesmerising skeleton of the roof directs the pilgrim’s gaze to the glass altar. Of course, the most important element of the altar is the cross made of Italian Murano glass and Swarovski crystals. Behind it is a stained glass window which is an interpretation of a Renaissance painting of Our Lady Help of the Faithful. Interestingly, it is a monochrome stained glass window made using the grisaille technique (shades of grey).
To the right of the altarpiece, Fuchs depicted the motif of the calling of the apostles Peter and Andrew at the Sea of Galilee. Naturally, the artist used intense, almost psychedelic colours, a hallmark of the school of fantastic realism. On the left side of the altarpiece, on the other hand, the Transfiguration is depicted. Interestingly, in both paintings, Jesus resembles Moses, which completes the ubiquitous motif of linking and continuity of Old Testament motifs with New Testament events.
Behind the scallops
After such an extensive description of symbolic accumulations, one can still wonder about the meaning of shells. They are found in almost every design element, and even the plastic seats resemble shells. This is the second significant motif associated with St James. The St James shell is primarily a symbol of pilgrims, and its shape resembles a scallop shell. It is shells like this that point to the route of the Way of St James leading to the apostle’s tomb in Santiago de Compostela in Spain.
The newly rebuilt church was opened in 1994. Its unusual shape and spectacular interior attract many tourists, who can sometimes admit that the bold extension is an architectural abomination. Fuchs’ art, and all the psychedelic oddities that come with it, is not for everyone. However, it must be admitted that there is something unprecedented about it.
Source: Steiermark
Also read: Architecture | Interesting facts | Sacred architecture | Austria | Art | whiteMAD on Instagram
