Weimar Saxon Grand Ducal Art School

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The Art School Building, now the main building of the Bauhaus-University Weimar. Hauptgebaude - Nordansicht 04.JPG
The Art School Building, now the main building of the Bauhaus-University Weimar.

The Weimar Saxon-Grand Ducal Art School (Großherzoglich-Sächsische Kunstschule Weimar) was created on October 1, 1860, by a decree of Charles Alexander, Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach. It existed until 1910, at which time it was promoted to a "Hochschule". It should not be confused with the Weimar Princely Free Drawing School, which existed from 1776 to 1930 and, after 1860, served as a preparatory school.

Charles Alexander, Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach ruler of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach from 1853 until his death

Charles Alexander was the ruler of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach as its grand duke from 1853 until his death.

Hochschule is the generic term in German for institutions of higher education, corresponding to universities and colleges in English. The term Universität is reserved for institutions with the right to confer doctorates. In contrast, Hochschule encompasses Universitäten as well as institutions that are not authorized to confer doctorates.

Contents

History

From 1870 to 1900, the students and teachers of the school turned away from the academic tradition of idealized compositions. Inspired by the Barbizon School, they went directly to nature for their inspiration, in genre as well as landscape painting. This approach set the school apart and attracted attention throughout Europe.

Genre art art genre that depicts scenes from everyday life

Genre art is the pictorial representation in any of various media of scenes or events from everyday life, such as markets, domestic settings, interiors, parties, inn scenes, and street scenes. Such representations may be realistic, imagined, or romanticized by the artist. Some variations of the term genre art specify the medium or type of visual work, as in genre painting, genre prints, genre photographs, and so on.

Grand Ducal Saxon School of Visual Arts of Weimar

In 1910, William Ernest, Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, in cooperation with Hans Olde (Director of the Art School), Adolf Brütt (Director of the Sculpture School) and Henry van de Velde (Director of the School of Arts & Crafts), joined the three schools to create a new Hochschule: The "Grand Ducal Saxon School of Visual Arts in Weimar", headed by Fritz Mackensen. Several more transformations led to the school's becoming part of the Bauhaus-University Weimar.

William Ernest, Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach

William Ernest, Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach was the last Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach.

Hans Olde German painter

Johannes Wilhelm (Hans) Olde was a German painter and art school administrator.

Adolf Brütt German sculptor

Adolf Brütt was a German sculptor. He was the founder of the Weimarer Bildhauerschule and its accompanying bronze foundry.

Building

View of the entryway, with "Eve". Weimarbauhaus6.jpg
View of the entryway, with "Eve".

The art school building (also called the "Studio Building") was constructed in two phases: 1904/05 and 1911, on the former Art School Road from plans drawn up by Henry van de Velde. Both buildings are true to the principles of Jugendstil regarding functionality and appropriate use of materials. As the founding place of the Bauhaus movement, it has been one of the most important arts schools of the century. Of particular note in the building's interior are the Oberlichtsaal (skylight hall), the elliptical staircase and the statue of Eve by Auguste Rodin.

Bauhaus Famous German art school that combined crafts and the fine arts

The Staatliches Bauhaus, commonly known as the Bauhaus, was a German art school operational from 1919 to 1933 that combined crafts and the fine arts, and was famous for the approach to design that it publicized and taught.

Auguste Rodin French sculptor

François Auguste René Rodin, known as Auguste Rodin, was a French sculptor. Although Rodin is generally considered the progenitor of modern sculpture, he did not set out to rebel against the past. He was schooled traditionally, took a craftsman-like approach to his work, and desired academic recognition, although he was never accepted into Paris's foremost school of art.

In December 1996, the building (together with the former arts & crafts school) was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In 1999, it was restored to an approximation of its original appearance by architect Thomas van den Valentyn  [ de ] and his team. This restoration included the "Gropiuszimmer"; the room that served as Walter Gropius' office when he was the director, which was returned to its former state, c.1925. The building now houses the School of Architecture, the Design Department, the Dean's office and the Rector's office.

Walter Gropius German architect (1883-1969)

Walter Adolph Georg Gropius was a German architect and founder of the Bauhaus School, who, along with Alvar Aalto, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Le Corbusier and Frank Lloyd Wright, is widely regarded as one of the pioneering masters of modernist architecture. Gropius was also a leading architect of the International Style.

Associated people

Directors and lecturers

By date of appointment.

NameLifeClassTeacher (dates)Director (dates)PupilsNotes
Stanislaus von Kalckreuth  [ de ]1820–18941860–1876
Alexander Michelis  [ de ]1823–18881863–1868
Arnold Böcklin 1827–19011860–1862
Arthur von Ramberg 1819–18751860–1866
Carl Hummel 1821-?Landscape painting1860-?
Franz von Lenbach 1836–19041860-?
Johann Wilhelm Cordes 1824–18691860–1869
Reinhold Begas 1831–19111861-(1863?)
Ferdinand Pauwels 1830–1904History painting1862–1872
Bernhard Plockhorst 1825–1907History and portrait painting, Drawing1866–1869
Paul Thumann 1834–1908Genre painting1866-?A former pupil of
F. Pauwels
Max Schmidt 1818–19011868–1872
Charles Verlat 1824–1890Animal painting1869-?
Karl Gussow 1843–19071870
Theodor Hagen 1841–1919Landscape painting18711877–1881Also taught from 1881
Albert Baur  [ de ]1835–19061872-(1876?)
Ferdinand Schauss  [ de ]1832–1916Portrait and genre painting1873–1876
Franz Gustav Arndt  [ de ]1842-?Landscape painting1876-?Former pupil,
ab 1879 Secretary of the School of Arts
Willem Linnig the Younger 1849-?Genre and history painting1876-?Former pupil
Alexander Struys 1852-1941History painting1878-1882
Albert Heinrich Brendel 1827–1895Animal painting?1882–1885
Max Thedy  [ de ]1858–19241883
Leopold von Kalckreuth 1855–19281885–1890Former pupil,
son of Stanislaus Kalckreuth
Edgar Meyer 1853-19251886-?
Hans Olde 1855–19171902?-?Established the Kunstschule
as a Hochschule
Ludwig von Hofmann 1861–19451903–1907Founder of the Neues Weimar movement
Gari Melchers 1860–19321909–1914American (German father)
Albin Egger-Lienz 1868–19261912–1913
Theodor Schindler  [ de ]1870–19501913–1914
Walther Klemm 1883–1957Graphics1913–?

Notable students

Carl Arp German landscape painter

Carl Arp was a German landscape painter. He is best known as a founding member of the Schleswig-Holsteinische Kunstgenossenschaft and representative of the Weimar Saxon-Grand Ducal Art School. Subsequent to his studies there under Theodor Hagen and Leopold von Kalckreuth, he spent several years in Italy. Carl Arp is viewed as one of the main representatives of the "en plein air" style of landscape painting.

Paul Baum (artist) German painter

Paul Baum, was a German painter, draftsman and printmaker. He was the most important representative of Neo-Impressionism in Germany.

Max Beckmann German painter, draftsman, printmaker, sculptor and writer

Max Beckmann was a German painter, draftsman, printmaker, sculptor, and writer. Although he is classified as an Expressionist artist, he rejected both the term and the movement. In the 1920s, he was associated with the New Objectivity, an outgrowth of Expressionism that opposed its introverted emotionalism.

Bibliography

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