Henri King

Henri (Heinrich) König (born January 13, 1896 in Romanshorn , † June 24, 1983 in Geneva ; resident in Geneva and Tägerwilen ) was a Swiss sculptor .

life and work

King's monument in memory of Ferdinand Hodler

Henri König was the son of a customs officer and grew up in Kreuzlingen . After primary and secondary school, he attended a teacher training college in Kreuzlingen from 1912 to 1916, where he a. a. was taught by Jacques M. Bächtold . He then studied at the École des Beaux-Arts in Geneva, a. a. at James Vibert . He recognized his talent and advised König to devote himself entirely to sculpture. From 1921 to 1924, König was Vibert's assistant. A scholarship enabled him to continue studying in Rome for a year . Study trips took him to France , Holland and Greece .

When he returned to Geneva, König made his way as a choirmaster . In 1931 he received his first public recognition with the purchase of a bronze by the Swiss Confederation . In 1933 a public commission for a park fountain in Kreuzlingen followed, and in 1941 his sculpture La Brise was unveiled on Quai Gustave-Ador in Geneva. He created another memorial for Ferdinand Hodler on the Promenade du Pin in Geneva.

King succeeded James Vibert and was appointed professor in 1943 and dean of the École des Beaux-Arts in 1951. The University of Geneva gave him a teaching position in their architecture department. In 1934, 1935 and 1936, König received a federal art grant . His works ended up in private collections, museums and public facilities, especially on Lake Geneva . King put u. a. in the Kunsthaus Aargau , Kunstmuseum Bern , Kunsthalle Basel and the Kunsthaus Zürich .

literature

• Johannes Widmer: Heinrich König. In: Thurgauer Jahrbuch , Vol. 10, 1934, pp. 34–39. ( e-periodica )
• Heinrich Ammann: The sculptor Henri König. In: Thurgauer Jahrbuch , Vol. 57, 1982, pp. 100-109. ( e-periodica )
• Necrology for Henry König . In: Thurgauer Jahrbuch , Vol. 59, 1984, p. 144.

Web links

Commons : Henri König  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

• King, Henry (Heinrich). In: Sikart