The brothers Bernhard Abel and Arnold Abel were sculptors and Florian Abel a painter in the middle of the 16th century. In 1561, Bernhard and Arnold worked for the Imperial Court in

Vienna Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...

. On 28 April, they signed a contract on the completion of the unfinished tomb of Emperor Maximilian I in the court chapel of

Innsbruck Innsbruck (; ) is the capital of Tyrol (federal state), Tyrol and the List of cities and towns in Austria, fifth-largest city in Austria. On the Inn (river), River Inn, at its junction with the Wipptal, Wipp Valley, which provides access to the ...

. Florian, residing in

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, provided the sketches for the reliefs. Bernhard travelled to

Salzburg Salzburg is the List of cities and towns in Austria, fourth-largest city in Austria. In 2020 its population was 156,852. The city lies on the Salzach, Salzach River, near the border with Germany and at the foot of the Austrian Alps, Alps moun ...

to purchase

marble Marble is a metamorphic rock consisting of carbonate minerals (most commonly calcite (CaCO3) or Dolomite (mineral), dolomite (CaMg(CO3)2) that have recrystallized under the influence of heat and pressure. It has a crystalline texture, and is ty ...

, Arnold to

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with the same purpose and to study the old masters. In December, the two sculptors reunited in Innsbruck, but did not further their work, even though they were provided with all that was necessary from the government and had received the drafts from Florian. In 1562, they had only accomplished ''"the fourth part of a history"''. Due to their excessive lifestyles, they fell critically ill. They were provided with helpers, sent by sculptor Marx Müller from

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: Franz Willems, Hans Ernhofer and Michael von der Vecken. Bernhard died at the end of December 1563 or beginning of January 1564. Arnold followed in February. Their work was finished by Alexander Collin, a sculptor from

Mechelen Mechelen (; ; historically known as ''Mechlin'' in EnglishMechelen has been known in English as ''Mechlin'', from where the adjective ''Mechlinian'' is derived. This name may still be used, especially in a traditional or historical context. T ...

in the province of

. According to his report, the two brothers had only begun with three of the reliefs, but finished none. Collin continued to work after the sketches from Florian Abel.

Sources

Lambiek Comiclopedia biography.
* ''Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie'' - online version at

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Abel, Bernhard and Arnold Abel, Bernhard and Arnold 16th-century sculptors {{Austria-sculptor-stub