Georg Hilz

 

Georg Hilz - From Bavaria to Galicia

©Andrzej Philips

 

While searching for items related to Galicia, I came across a watercolor painting titled "Sunday Chat, Dristyow Galicia" dated 15.10.1916, which now corresponds to Poland, Ukraine, and Slovakia. The artist was identified as G. Pilz.

 

The painting Sunday Chat, Dristyow Galicia

Attempts to identify the location "Dristyow" or the painter "G. Pilz" (literally meaning "mushroom") were unsuccessful. A closer inspection of the signature on the painting convinced me that it was actually "G. Hilz." This led to finding information about the artist Sepp Hilz.

 Sepp Hilz (1906-1967)

 Sepp Hilz was a renowned German painter. He learned to paint from his father, Georg Hilz, who was also a painter and restorer primarily working for Bavarian churches. Over time, Sepp began assisting and collaborating with his father. He also benefited greatly from copying works of old masters like Dürer, Cranach, and Altdorfer. From 1921 to 1927, Sepp Hilz lived in Munich, studying at the Kunstgewerbeschule while privately studying graphic art under Moritz Heymann and painting under Xaver Dietrich. He further honed his skills by making numerous copies of paintings by Rembrandt, Vermeer van Delft, and Brouwer. During this period, he started exhibiting his works regionally and working for Bavarian churches.

 

Self-portrait of Sepp Hilz

     

 "Old Peasant Woman with Headscarf" (Study for the painting "Old Woman with Headscarf," which brought Hilz his first success at the exhibition at the Haus der Deutschen Kunst in Munich in 1938)[1].

 In 1928, he returned to his hometown of Bad Aibling, where he organized exhibitions and cultural events with other young painters. His works from after 1930 show influences of Wilhelm Leibl's art. He soon gained recognition as an excellent portraitist, religious painter, landscape artist, and primarily a genre painter depicting rural Bavarian life, earning the nickname "the peasant painter" (Bauernmaler).

From 1938 to 1944, Sepp Hilz participated in the propaganda Great German Art Exhibitions at the Haus der Deutschen Kunst in Munich, showcasing 22 works, including portraits, nudes, and genre scenes, such as the iconic "Peasant Venus," "Vanity," and the triptych "Peasant Trilogy." These works were well-received and approved by Nazi authorities; Joseph Goebbels bought one, and Adolf Hitler purchased two others. However, this success had later repercussions. After the war, Hilz was boycotted. For instance, his participation in a 1951 exhibition in Munich met with protests. Only a few years later did his undeniable talent overcome these objections, and from 1956, his paintings returned to exhibition halls, allowing him to work again as a painter and restorer of church paintings. Today, Hilz's works are primarily in private collections, with many having reached the United States post-war. There are few of his works in German museum collections, with a few pieces in the museum in Bad Aibling. Hilz's art continues to attract interest, with a significant exhibition held in 1995 on Frauenchiemsee Island (Lake Chiemsee in Bavaria)[2].

However, the painting dated 15.10.1916 could not have been by Sepp Hilz, and the "G. Hilz" signature aligns perfectly with that of his father, Georg Hilz. It turns out that Sepp's father, Georg Hilz, was also a well-known artist.

 

Georg Hilz (1881-1949)

 

Georg Hilz was a prominent church painter from Aibling whose works significantly contributed to the artistic heritage of several churches in Bavaria. His most notable work includes the renovation of the pilgrimage church of the Holy Cross in Thann in 1936. During this renovation, Hilz created a fresco on the flat ceiling of the nave depicting the Battle of the Milvian Bridge in Rome[3], a significant historical event where Emperor Constantine defeated Maxentius. He also painted the altarpieces of the side altars which portray Saint Conrad and Saint Elizabeth[4],[5].

 

Georg Hilz's painting "Sunday Chat, Dristyow Galicia”, likely created during the German-Russian campaign in 1916 in the locality of Dryszczów (now Nadrichne, Ternopil district, Ukraine)[6], adds significant historical context to the artistic legacy of both Georg and his son, Sepp Hilz.

 

The altarpieces of the side altars, which depict St. Brother Konrad and St. Elisabeth, were created by the Aiblinger church painter Georg Hilz on the occasion of the renovation in 1936.[7]

 

Georg Hilz's Contributions:

- Thann Church Fresco: One of his most notable works is the fresco on the flat ceiling of the nave of the pilgrimage church of the Holy Cross in Thann, depicting the Battle of the Milvian Bridge. This work, created during the 1936 renovation, highlights his ability to blend historical themes with religious art.

- Altarpieces: He also painted the altarpieces of the side altars in Thann Church, depicting Saint Conrad and Saint Elizabeth, further showcasing his skill in religious painting.

 

Style and Legacy:

- Artistic Style: Georg Hilz is known for his detailed and expressive style that vividly brings religious scenes to life, contributing significantly to the spiritual ambiance of the churches he worked on.

- Blending Old and New: His work in Thann is particularly noted for blending old and new artistic elements, preserving the historical integrity of the site while enhancing its visual appeal for contemporary worshippers.

 

Georg Hilz - Village Street with Telephone Poles Leading to Willing near Bad Aibling[8]

 

 

Genealogy of Georg Hilz[9]:

- Birth: April 7, 1881, Mauern bei Moosburg, Freising, Upper Bavaria, Germany

- Death: April 25, 1949, Mauern bei Moosburg, Freising, Upper Bavaria, Germany

- Parents:

  - Father: Laurentius Hilz (1850 - 1914)

  - Mother: Agatha Lohmaier (1850 - unknown)

- Siblings:

  - Maria Hilz (1882 - 1882)

  - Andreas Hilz (1883 - 1883)

  - Lorenz Hilz (1886 - 1918)

  - Franz Xaver Hilz (1887 - 1887)

  - Josef Hilz (1898 - 1898)

 

- Family:

  - Wife: Maria Deckinger (1870 - unknown)

  - Son: Josef Georg Franz "Sepp" Hilz (1906 - 1967)

 

Conclusion:

Georg Hilz's work, characterized by its detailed and expressive style, remains influential, with significant contributions to Bavarian church art. His legacy, continued by his son Sepp Hilz, highlights the importance of preserving cultural and historical elements through art.

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[1] https://www.gailerfineartchiemsee.de/

[2] https://www.agraart.pl/

[3] The Battle of the Milvian Bridge took place between the Roman Emperors Constantine I and Maxentius on 28 October 312 AD. It takes its name from the Milvian Bridge, an important route over the Tiber. Constantine won the battle and started on the path that led him to end the Tetrarchy and become the sole ruler of the Roman Empire. Maxentius drowned in the Tiber during the battle; his body was later taken from the river and decapitated, and his head was paraded through the streets of Rome on the day following the battle before being taken to Africa. The Milvian Bridge is a bridge over the Tiber in northern Rome, Italy. It was an economically and strategically important bridge in the era of the Roman Empire.

[4] Heimat am Inn, gegruendet von Anton Demp, Rosenheim 1951

[5] https://www.erzbistum-muenchen.de/pfarrei/stadtkirche-bad-aibling/cont/61646

[6] It is unlikely that this is Dryszczów (now Podlisne, Chortkiv district, Ukraine).

[7] https://www.erzbistum-muenchen.de/pfarrei/stadtkirche-bad-aibling/cont/61646

[8] Picture public domain, https://artvee.com/

[9] http://www.genealogie-oberbayern.de