Heinrich Altherr (11 April 1878, in Basel – 27 April 1947, in Zürich) was a Swiss painter. He is best known for his murals in churches and various public buildings.
His father, Alfred, was a pastor. He had his first art lessons from a family friend, the sculptor Carl Burckhardt. Later, he studied with Fritz Schider and, after failing the entrance exam for the Academy of Fine Arts, Munich, with Heinrich Knirr at his private school there. A trip to Italy confirmed his preference for dark, northern colors over the bright Mediterranean palette. French Impressionism also had little appeal for him, as he found himself attracted to Expressionism instead. He initially focused on portraits and landscapes.
Tragic Still-Life
He was one of the first members of the Deutscher Künstlerbund.[1] In 1906, he became a teacher at the Academy of Fine Arts, Karlsruhe. During this period, he created frescoes and stained glass windows for churches in Darmstadt, Basel, Karlsruhe, Elberfeld and Zürich. He also made the acquaintance of the architect Karl Moser, who was instrumental in obtaining several large commissions.
In 1913, he moved to the State Academy of Fine Arts Stuttgart, where he had been appointed a Professor. He married Wilhelmine Fauser in 1917. From 1919 to 1921 he served as its Director. He was one of the founders of the Stuttgart Succession [de] in 1923 and served as its first Chairman. His primary subject was composition and he remained there until 1939. He was an active campaigner against superficial fashions in the fine arts and opposed the official styles promoted by National Socialist policy.
Eventually, he ran afoul of those policies and his works were declared to be "Entartete Kunst" (degenerate). In 1938, several of his paintings were confiscated and destroyed. In consideration of his students, he remained at the school until 1939, but the outbreak of war forced him to return to Switzerland. His last work in Germany was a monumental religious mural for the Friedenskirche in Heilbronn, depicting Jesus flanked by unbelievers on one side and the faithful on the other. It was destroyed during a bombing raid in 1944. The Städtische Museen Heilbronn [de] are in possession of sketches and models for the mural, so some record of it remains.[2]
From 1941 to 1946, he created several major mural cycles at the State Archives of Basel [de] and the Friedhof am Hörnli [de].
Referencesedit
^Ordentliche Mitglieder des Deutschen Künstlerbundes seit der Gründung 1903 / Altherr, Heinrich Online 2013-11-10 at the Wayback Machine
^"Altherr, Heinrich - SIKART Lexikon zur Kunst in der Schweiz". www.sikart.ch. Retrieved 2016-10-25.
The Last Judgment, in the Friedhof am Hörnli
Further readingedit
H. Höfchen: "Altherr, Heinrich". In: Allgemeines Künstlerlexikon. Die Bildenden Künstler aller Zeiten und Völker (AKL). Vol.2, Seemann, Leipzig 1986, ISBN3-363-00115-0, pgs.696 f.
Heinrich Altherr, 1878–1947: Gemälde, Zeichnungen. Carl Hofer, 1878–1950: Gemälde, Zeichnungen, Radierungen, Lithographien. Exhibition catalog, Galerie Schlichtenmaier (1990) ISBN3-89298-058-6
Herbert Read: Altherr, Heinrich. In: Kindlers Malerei Lexikon im dtv, Vol.1, München 1982, ISBN3-423-05995-8
Walter Überwasser, Wilhelm Braun; Der Maler Heinrich Altherr. Sein Weg und Werk, Orell Füssli Verlag, Zürich (1938)
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Heinrich Altherr.
"Heinrich Altherr". SIKART Lexicon on art in Switzerland.
Publications by and about Heinrich Altherr in the catalogue Helveticat of the Swiss National Library
Pierre Gauchat (1953), "Altherr, Heinrich", Neue Deutsche Biographie (in German), vol. 1, Berlin: Duncker & Humblot, pp. 221–222; (full text online)
"Die Freundschaft mit Heinrich Altherr"
April 11, 2024
heinrich, altherr, april, 1878, basel, april, 1947, zürich, swiss, painter, best, known, murals, churches, various, public, buildings, self, portrait, 1915, contents, biography, references, further, reading, external, linksbiography, edithis, father, alfred, p. Heinrich Altherr 11 April 1878 in Basel 27 April 1947 in Zurich was a Swiss painter He is best known for his murals in churches and various public buildings Self portrait 1915 Contents 1 Biography 2 References 3 Further reading 4 External linksBiography editHis father Alfred was a pastor He had his first art lessons from a family friend the sculptor Carl Burckhardt Later he studied with Fritz Schider and after failing the entrance exam for the Academy of Fine Arts Munich with Heinrich Knirr at his private school there A trip to Italy confirmed his preference for dark northern colors over the bright Mediterranean palette French Impressionism also had little appeal for him as he found himself attracted to Expressionism instead He initially focused on portraits and landscapes nbsp Tragic Still LifeHe was one of the first members of the Deutscher Kunstlerbund 1 In 1906 he became a teacher at the Academy of Fine Arts Karlsruhe During this period he created frescoes and stained glass windows for churches in Darmstadt Basel Karlsruhe Elberfeld and Zurich He also made the acquaintance of the architect Karl Moser who was instrumental in obtaining several large commissions In 1913 he moved to the State Academy of Fine Arts Stuttgart where he had been appointed a Professor He married Wilhelmine Fauser in 1917 From 1919 to 1921 he served as its Director He was one of the founders of the Stuttgart Succession de in 1923 and served as its first Chairman His primary subject was composition and he remained there until 1939 He was an active campaigner against superficial fashions in the fine arts and opposed the official styles promoted by National Socialist policy Eventually he ran afoul of those policies and his works were declared to be Entartete Kunst degenerate In 1938 several of his paintings were confiscated and destroyed In consideration of his students he remained at the school until 1939 but the outbreak of war forced him to return to Switzerland His last work in Germany was a monumental religious mural for the Friedenskirche in Heilbronn depicting Jesus flanked by unbelievers on one side and the faithful on the other It was destroyed during a bombing raid in 1944 The Stadtische Museen Heilbronn de are in possession of sketches and models for the mural so some record of it remains 2 From 1941 to 1946 he created several major mural cycles at the State Archives of Basel de and the Friedhof am Hornli de References edit Ordentliche Mitglieder des Deutschen Kunstlerbundes seit der Grundung 1903 Altherr Heinrich Online Archived 2013 11 10 at the Wayback Machine Altherr Heinrich SIKART Lexikon zur Kunst in der Schweiz www sikart ch Retrieved 2016 10 25 nbsp The Last Judgment in the Friedhof am HornliFurther reading editH Hofchen Altherr Heinrich In Allgemeines Kunstlerlexikon Die Bildenden Kunstler aller Zeiten und Volker AKL Vol 2 Seemann Leipzig 1986 ISBN 3 363 00115 0 pgs 696 f Heinrich Altherr 1878 1947 Gemalde Zeichnungen Carl Hofer 1878 1950 Gemalde Zeichnungen Radierungen Lithographien Exhibition catalog Galerie Schlichtenmaier 1990 ISBN 3 89298 058 6 Herbert Read Altherr Heinrich In Kindlers Malerei Lexikon im dtv Vol 1 Munchen 1982 ISBN 3 423 05995 8 Walter Uberwasser Wilhelm Braun Der Maler Heinrich Altherr Sein Weg und Werk Orell Fussli Verlag Zurich 1938 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Heinrich Altherr Heinrich Altherr in German French and Italian in the online Historical Dictionary of Switzerland Heinrich Altherr SIKART Lexicon on art in Switzerland Publications by and about Heinrich Altherr in the catalogue Helveticat of the Swiss National Library Pierre Gauchat 1953 Altherr Heinrich Neue Deutsche Biographie in German vol 1 Berlin Duncker amp Humblot pp 221 222 full text online Die Freundschaft mit Heinrich Altherr Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Heinrich Altherr amp oldid 1214615728, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
