German Society for Christian Art
| German Society for Christian Art V. (DG) |
|
|---|---|
| legal form | Registered association |
| founding | 1893 |
| Seat | Munich |
| main emphasis | Dialogue between art and church |
| Chair | Walter Zahner |
| Website | www.dg-kunstraum.de |
The German Society for Christian Art (DG), founded in 1893, is a "supra-regional, non-profit and independent cultural institution " in the legal form of an e. V. based in Munich . It sees itself as an “ ecumenically oriented [es]” “forum for a lively dialogue between art and church , for a creative exchange of ideas between artists , theologians , philosophers and art lovers”. In her exhibition rooms at Wittelsbacherplatz (Finkenstraße 4), part of the Munich Art Area , she regularly organizes thematic shows by contemporary artists.
history
The DG emerged as part of the growing German Catholicism in the late 19th century. It united artists with art friends and potential clients. In the area of tension between modernism and ultramontanism , she stood on the side of the latter and, in a phase of intensive church building activity, strived for a strictly ecclesiastical art based on canonical models of the past. The debate about the question of what it is has been with them since it was founded.
On January 30, 1885, Georg Busch founded the Albrecht Dürer Association with other pupils of Syrius Eberle and other like-minded people . Style ideals were the "old German art" and the Nazarenes . From the beginning, Busch endeavored to maintain close contact with leading figures from church, politics and society.
On March 18, 1892, the sculptors Joseph Brühl , Heinrich Waderé , Jakob Stolz , the painters Emanuel Walch , Kaspar Schleibner , Bonifaz Locher and Gebhard Fugel , the church historian Aloys Weiss and the two co-editors of the yearbook of Görres met in Busch's studio in Munich . Society Josef Weiß and Gustav Schnürer to advise on the establishment of a society for Christian art. The group took part in the 21st Catholic Day that same year to promote their cause. There it came to a resolution of the general assembly, which recommended the establishment. This took place, with the support of large parts of the German-speaking episcopate, on January 4, 1893. Georg von Hertling took over the presidency (until 1911), Georg Busch, as artist president, the actual management. Well-known artists, but also representatives of the ruling dynasties and the majority of the diocesan bishops, soon joined the DG. In 1912 it had 6,000 members.
The DG published annual folders with reproductions and reviews of the works of its members, organized competitions and participated in exhibitions. The style canon corresponded to historicist eclecticism with little scope for experimentation. The founding of a German Society for Christian Art GmbH by Georg Busch in 1900 created the basis for his own exhibitions, the sale of works of art and the publication of the journal Die christliche Kunst from 1904. At the same time, however, a dispute about the direction of the GmbH arose both in terms of artistic standards like the commercial orientation. As a result, the DG joined the episcopate even more closely in 1911, while reform Catholic forces such as Expeditus Schmidt OFM, Engelbert Drerup and Josef Popp left society. The bishops were granted censorship rights, which Bishop Paul Wilhelm von Keppler exercised. The resulting further narrowing of the artistic spectrum led to the resignation of 1,000 members by 1913.
After the First World War the DG was cautiously opened to moderate expressionism by artists such as Karl Caspar , Josef Eberz , Felix Baumhauer , Otto Grassl and Paul Thalheimer . Was instrumental in this Georg Lill , head curator at the Bavarian State Conservation Office and board member of the DG. He also had a moderating effect on the violent protests of many DG authors against an expressionist crucifix by Ludwig Gies .
In 1924, a generation change in the board led to a further turn away from eclecticism. However , a Neue Gruppe collected by Karl Baur and Michael Kurz in 1926 with this aim evoked a traditionalist counter-movement. Around 1930 the influence of neoclassical monumentalism made itself felt. During the National Socialist era , the DG lost its medium of publication and its public impact.
The new beginning after the Second World War was characterized by a creative dialogue with all artists and directions that offered points of contact.
Gebhard Fugel Prize
The DG has been awarding the Gebhard Fugel Prize since 1979, and has been doing this every three years since 2008. The eponymous painter was one of the co-founders of the DG in 1893. The art prize, which is awarded in the fields of painting, sculpture, applied art and architecture, serves primarily to promote young talent. The prize is endowed with 5000, - EURO.
literature
- Gerhard Streicher: German Society for Christian Art: since when, why, what for, today? Prolegomena to determine their specific weight. In: Das Münster 31, 1978, pp. 265–268.
- Bernd Feiler: The German Society for Christian Art . In: Ders., Der Blaue Reiter and the Archbishop (PDF; 11.1 MB). Religious tendencies, Christian beliefs and church confession in painting in Munich from 1911 to 1925. Dissertation, Munich 2002, pp. 51–69.
Web links
- Literature by and about the German Society for Christian Art in the catalog of the German National Library
- Website of the German Society for Christian Art
- kunstaspekte.de: exhibitions / events
Individual evidence
- ↑ http://www.dg-galerie.de/verein/satzung/
- ↑ http://www.dg-galerie.de/verein/vorstand/
- ↑ a b website of the DG
- ↑ Süddeutsche Zeitung of September 6, 2016, p. R14
- ↑ Section History according to Feiler, s. Lit.
- ↑ Kulturpreise.de , accessed on October 20, 2013
Coordinates: 48 ° 8 ′ 47.8 " N , 11 ° 34 ′ 25.5" E