How did Johann Lucas von Hildebrandt become Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach’s main rival at the Viennese court?

Johann Lucas von Hildebrandt became a primary rival to Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach at the Viennese court largely due to shifting architectural preferences among patrons following the death of Emperor Joseph I in 1711.1

While Fischer von Erlach was celebrated for his ambitious, lofty, and complex architectural conceptions, many contemporaries began to favor the style of Hildebrandt, which was perceived as more pleasing and less demanding. Hildebrandt’s work, which drew influence from the French architectural era of Louis XIV and the late-Baroque models of northern Italy, offered a distinct aesthetic that appealed to the tastes of the time.12

Despite this rivalry, Fischer von Erlach maintained his standing by securing the favor of Emperor Charles VI, notably through the commission for the Karlskirche, a project that served as both a religious offering and a monument to the emperor's imperial power.1