Christoph Steidl Porenta

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Christoph Steidl Porenta
Steidl Porenta in his workshop in 2024
Occupation(s)Silversmith, goldsmith

Christoph Steidl Porenta (born 1965) is a silversmith and goldsmith who lives and works in Slovenia. He is a knight of the Sovereign Order of Malta.

Early life[edit]

Steidl Porenta (born Schneck) was born in Munich, Bavaria in West Germany on 5 May 1965.[1] He went to school in Pullach, became an industrial mechanic, and studied goldsmithing at Münsterschwarzach Abbey.[1] He was inspired by the goldsmithing of René Lalique.[2][3]

Work[edit]

Reliquary to Francis of Assisi by Steidl Porenta

In addition to being a silversmith and goldsmith, Steidl Porenta works with restoration. Since 1993, he works in Ljubljana, Slovenia.[4] His work has been exhibited in Germany, Italy and Slovenia[4][1][5] and he is the only master silversmith in Slovenia.[6][better source needed] A journalist from Dnevnik said in 2019 that his works "surprise and inspire with their rich expressiveness and bear a modern stamp with a touch of the past, fairy tales, mysteries and a touch of anxiety, to counterbalance the perfection of beauty."[2]

He has a shop and studio in Ljubljana, called Zlato runo (Golden fleece). His work include ecclesiastical rings, the hands of the clock of a cathedral,[6][2] glasses, cups[7] and sculptures.[8] He has made a reliquary to Francis of Assisi for the Bazilika Marije Pomagaj in Brezje.[9][10]

In 2017, he designed an exhibition at the National Gallery of Slovenia, celebrating the 800th anniversary of the Order of Malta in Slovenia.[11][12] As of 2023, he has three apprentices, and says[3]

It is important to me that each piece of jewelry is unique and something special. Today, it can quickly be devalued through mass production, but jewelry is a personal thing, the wearer expresses himself with it.[3]

Personal life[edit]

Pendant by Steidl Porenta. At the center is a diamond, flanked by griffins

Steidl Porenta moved to Slovenia since he had met a Slovenian woman and married her.[13][7] He is a descendant of Melchior Steidl, (1657-1727), an Austrian baroque painter.[2][14] As of 2023, he lives in Cerklje na Gorenjskem.[3]

As of 2013, since the late 1990s, he had a pet raven named Orhan. Steidl Porenta said that the bird was a useful companion, since it would indicate around noon that it was hungry, and so remind Steidl Porenta that he should also eat something.[15][13]

Awards and honors[edit]

Steidl Porenta is a knight of the Sovereign Order of Malta.[2][when?]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c "Christoph Steidl Porenta: Emajliranje". National Museum of Slovenia (in Slovenian). 2022. Retrieved 22 April 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d e Panter, Mateja (8 July 2019). "Nakit, ki ne nosi teže časa". Dnevnik (in Slovenian). Retrieved 22 April 2022.
  3. ^ a b c d "Zlatar, ki črpa ideje iz mitologije in narave". Dnevnik. 9 February 2023. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
  4. ^ a b Horvat, Marjan (30 June 2017). "Christoph Steidl Porenta". Mladina (in Slovenian). Retrieved 22 April 2022.
  5. ^ Praznik, Andrej (29 March 2014). "»To je moj poklic, konjiček in življenje« | Družina – vsak dan s teboj". Družina (in Slovenian). Retrieved 25 April 2022.
  6. ^ a b "Zlato runo". Ljubljana Tourism. Retrieved 24 April 2022.
  7. ^ a b Svetičič, Mojca (12 December 2004). "Med umetnostjo in obrtjo". Podjetnik (in Slovenian). Retrieved 25 April 2022.
  8. ^ Mrevlje, Neža (28 October 2018). "Zlatarna Zlato runo prepredena z mitologijo". Siol (in Slovenian). Retrieved 25 April 2022.
  9. ^ "Blagoslov relikviarija svetega Frančiška Asiškega in praznovanje Frančiškove nedelje na Brezjah". Katoliška cerkev v Sloveniji (in Slovenian). Slovenian Bishops Conference. 10 April 2020.
  10. ^ "Na Brezjah Frančiškova nedelja" (PDF). Gorenjski Glas (in Slovenian). 2 October 2020. Retrieved 25 April 2022.
  11. ^ Hočevar, Ksenja (2 June 2017). "Ave crux alba | Družina – vsak dan s teboj". Družina (in Slovenian). Retrieved 25 April 2022.
  12. ^ "Ave crux alba". National Gallery of Slovenia. 2017. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
  13. ^ a b "Naš gost: Zlatarski mojster Christoper Steidl Porenta". Radio Ognjišče (in Slovenian). 17 April 2010. Retrieved 24 April 2022.
  14. ^ "Melchior Steidl". National Gallery of Art. Retrieved 24 April 2022.
  15. ^ Zemljič, Tatjana (29 August 2013). "STAmisli: Zlatar in srebrokovač Christoph Steidl Porenta za STA: Tudi krute zgodbe oblečem v lepoto". STA (in Slovenian). Retrieved 22 April 2022.

External links[edit]