GRIESINGER, JAKOB, detto ALEMANNO, beato. - Dominican converso and artist, b. in 1407 at Ulm, d. at Bologna on 11 Oct. 1491.

Son of the merchant Theodoric of Ulm, G. received an excellent education. As a young man he trained in the mechanical arts and in glass painting. From a pilgrimage to Rome in 1432 he never returned to his homeland, but enlisted at Naples in the army of Alfonso of Aragon, took part in the unfortunate battles of Gaeta and Aversa, leaving - unscathed and valiant - military service after 4 years. At Capua he took up for 5 years the post of administrator in the noble household of a doctor of law. In 1441, passing through Bologna, he took service in the occupation troops under captain Tommaso Tartaro stationed at the castle of Gallicra, but soon became a lay brother at St. Dominic's in Bologna. This convent, a great center of studies and of spirituality, was for 50 years graced by his virtues and his art. « In componendis vitreis ac eiusdem depingendis optimus artifex », says friar Ambrogino of him. His works of art for St. Dominic's, St. Petronius's - there the only ones preserved in the chapel of the Notaries - in the Palazzo Bentivoglio are listed by Melloni, Marchese, Wilms and Fischer. In friar Ambrogino da Soncino (d. in 1517) and friar Anastasio da Como he had admirers, disciples and continuers of his art. Leo XII confirmed on 3 Aug. 1825 the cult of the blessed G. of Ulm. The feast is celebrated in the Dominican Order, in the dioceses of Bologna and of Rottenburg.

Bibliography6 works

BIBL.: Acta SS. Octobris, V, Paris 1886, pp. 793-803; G. Melloni, Atti e memorie degli uomini illustri in santità nati o morti in Bologna, VI, Bologna 1780, pp. 224-82; V. Marchese, Memorie dei più insigni pittori, scultori e architetti domenicani, I, 4th ed., Bologna 1878, pp. 453-67; I. Taurisano, Cat. hag. Ord. Prand., Rome 1916, pp. 46-47; H. Wilms, Der sel. J. G. aus Ulm, Dülmen 1922; J. L. Fischer, s. v. in Thieme-Becker, XV, Leipzig 1922, pp. 23-24 (with bibliography).

Angelo Walz

@incollection{ec6_griesinger_jakob_detto_alemann, author = {Walz, Angelo}, title = {Griesinger, jakob, detto alemanno, beato}, booktitle = {Enciclopedia Cattolica}, volume = {VI}, pages = {1166}, note = {Cited by column}, publisher = {Ente per l’Enciclopedia Cattolica e per il Libro Cattolico}, address = {Città del Vaticano}, year = {1951}, url = {https://azioneromana.com/article/griesinger-jakob-detto-alemanno-beato} }

One of some 20,000 entries brought back from the twelve printed volumes (1948–54). Spotted something? Help us improve it.

Griesinger, Jakob, Blessed, called Alemanno

About this entry