Franz Thamm

Franz Thamm (born June 19, 1831 in Bad Landeck ; † February 21, 1902 there ) was a German sculptor .

biography

Franz Thamm was born in Oberthalheim, a formerly independent municipality that was sold to the city of Bad Landeck in the 18th century. His father was a bricklayer and the family lived in poor conditions. When he was still at school, Franz Thamm carved crosses and figures that he sold in the surrounding villages. Although his artistic talent was recognized early and he wanted to turn to sculpture, his parents could not encourage him accordingly. After completing an apprenticeship as a shoemaker, he went on a hike and in 1855 started his own business in Landeck. Two years later he married the daughter of a master carpenter from Schreckendorf . In his free time he continued to occupy himself with the theoretical foundations of sculpture and with figural drawing. After his artistic talent had been confirmed by the sculptor Bernhard Kutzer from Obergrund at Zuckmantel and the Frankenstein church painter Krachwitz promised him jobs to start with, Thamm gave up the shoemaker's business and founded a sculptor's studio. His first assignment was an altar for the parish church in Köchendorf in the district of Ohlau . Although there were doubts from various sides whether Thamm, who had no training as a sculptor, could do justice to the order, the altar was positively assessed by the representatives of the government and Thamm was granted an additional bonus. This gave him further orders in the County of Glatz and in the rest of Silesia . In 1874, Thamm built a house with a studio for himself and his family. There he was frequently visited by artists who visited Bad Landeck, including Eduard Steinbrück and August Julius Streichenberg . In 1880 Thamm went on an art tour via Prague to Munich, where he met, among others, the academy professor Joseph Knabl , the artistic director of the Mayer'schen Hofkunstanstalt ; In 1884 he traveled to Northern Italy. Because of the increase in large stone work, he built another studio with a skylight for himself.

In 1893 Thamm was commissioned to write the “Fifteen Secrets of St. Rosenkranzes “for the Calvary in Deutsch-Piekar in Upper Silesia. Due to a lack of strength, he was only able to carry out the “flagellation” and the “crowning of thorns” himself, the other works were carried out by his sons. They also created the Stations of the Cross for the Mauritius Church in Wroclaw . In 1894 Thamm suffered a stroke from which he did not recover properly. In 1901 he completed another Ecce Homo statue for the church in Schömberg . After his death a year later, his sons Paul and Adolf continued to run the sculpture workshop. The eldest son of the same name, Franz Thamm jun. had already started his own business before.

Works

County of Glatz

• Bad Landeck, Kurpark: marble bust of the Prussian King Wilhelm I made of marble; Sand cross at the Catholic parish church
• Schreckendorf , parish church St. Maternus: Pieta made of wood, life-size wooden statues, relief stations of the cross
• Ludwigsdorf : grave monument with Madonna and Child made of sandstone
• Niedersteine : Small marble crucifix for Countess Magnis
• Tscherbeey : Life-size Virgin Mary made of sandstone, as a grave monument for Pastor Martinetz.

Silesia

• Belt, pulpit and various statues
• Reichenstein , several statues in wood
• Peterswalde: statue of St. Anthony with the Christ child in sandstone
• Ossig near Striegau : Nepomuk statue made of sandstone
• Schönfeld bei Ingramsdorf , castle: several larger sandstone works, Gutenberg statue made of sandstone
• Liegnitz , Johanneskirche: eight larger-than-life statues, including Madonna and Child
• Laurahütte : sandstone high relief above the church portal: Mary with the baby Jesus and two adoring angels
• Wroclaw Cathedral : statue of St. Virgin Mary made of sandstone
• Josephsstift Breslau: statue of St. Joseph with child

Other

• Potsdam , Catholic Church: Madonna with Child
• Jauernig : cemetery cross

literature

• Adam Langer: Franz Losky . In: Schlesische Biographieen [sic]. Glatz 1902, pp. 133-158