1882Josef Lechner, establishes a marble-processing factory in Bolzano
Josef Lechner, born on June 26th 1851 in the mountain village of Parnetz, began his training as a stonemason at the age of 24 with the Lasa master Franz Andres, who had been part of the first generation of artists trained at Steinhäuser’s school.
After the training, Lechner mastered the profession working as a workshop assistant in southern Germany and Switzerland and returned to Lasa in 1882. Not being able to open a business in Lasa, he established a workshop in Bolzano, near the cattle market. Lechner worked mainly with Carrara marble as the Union-Baugesellschaft denied him the supply of marble from Lasa. His firm, which employed 20-25 artisans, eventually flourished and Lechner was soon able to settle in Lasa as a businessmen trading in the marble market.
