Matthias Steinl

Matthias Steinl (otherwise Steindel, Staindle, Steindl or Stinle) (c. 1644–18 April 1727) was an Austrian painter, architect and designer, and one of the country's best known Baroque sculptors.

He probably originated from the area around Salzburg and probably trained as a craftsman and artist in Austria, although he may have learned to sculpt in the Netherlands and in Prague.

From this period dates the exceptional carving Allegory of the elements water and air, made out of a walrus tusk (c. 1688-1690); and the ivory equestrian statues of Leopold I (1690–1693) and Joseph I (dated 1693) From the 1690s Steinl also directed an important sculpture workshop in Vienna that produced many religious objects, among them the following: Around 1688, Steinl became more interested in architecture.

He was one of the first to use the Late Baroque style, in the manner of Francesco Borromini, in Austria, as architect of the church of Laxenburg, close to Vienna, although the level of his contribution here has been disputed.

Around this period Steinl seems largely to have ceased his direct participation in his sculpture workshop, but he still produced the occasional piece, as attested by the statues for the crypt altar of the Capuchin church in Vienna (c. 1715).