Johann Georg Bachmann

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Paper mache version of the Freezing by Jean-Antoine Houdon

Johann Georg Bachmann (* around 1738 ; † May 28, 1816 in Ludwigslust ) was the inventor of the " Ludwigsluster Cartons ", a weather-resistant form of paper mache .

Life

Bachmann was a lackey in Ludwigslust . Around the middle of the 18th century, he reported to Duke Friedrich von Mecklenburg that he had invented a new material that he wanted to continue testing. The Duke allowed Bachmann to make further attempts.

Papier mache in itself was not a new invention; it had been known in Europe since the 15th century and was popular as a material in Bachmann's time. It was used, for example, for objects that were decorated with lacquer painting. However, Bachmann had found a way to make the fabric moisture and weather resistant, so that even the park of Ludwigslust Palace could be equipped with busts made from paper mache: in 1766 the Englishman Thomas Nugent was able to convince himself that the jewelry of the Parks was not made of stone or similar material. Bachmann probably not only worked with paint, but also with oil and resin in order to preserve the paper mache, which was processed using the layering technique. He kept the secret of his recipe and his procedure: he neither wrote it down nor did he allow anyone to observe the entire manufacturing process. For each individual work step, he brought in different workers. Espionage was punished. Even in retrospect, it is no longer possible to reconstruct exactly how the paper was treated based on the works that have been preserved. The examination of a product from Bachmanns Fabrique showed that the paper was processed in layers about 7 millimeters thick and in rectangular pieces that were about 3 by 4 centimeters in size.

Bachmann became an overseer in 1777 and "Inspector" in 1786 in the Carton-Fabrique. In 1806 he received the building in which it was located as a gift. The building was later used as a town hall.

Products

Johann Georg Bachmann's discovery led to the fact that in Ludwigslust numerous ornaments for rooms and furniture were made from paper maché instead of high-quality fabrics. The entire room decorations in the Golden Hall, including the wall lights, are made of this material. From around 1780 there was an increasing trend towards the production of busts and statues that were not tied to the building they adorned.

Ludwigslust Castle Church with monumental painting

Not only the castle of Duke Friedrich was decorated with paper mache jewelry; This material can also be found in the castle church . The monumental mural in the church choir consists of numerous paper mache sheets.

The forms and models for capitals , moldings, etc. that were used in the palace were designed by court sculptors Christian Ludwig Sievert and Rudolph Kaplunger . Craftsmen and day laborers were then responsible for the moldings with the paper pulp.

However, they soon no longer limited themselves to production for their own use, but instead sold, among other things, magnificent vases, centerpieces and entire furniture made of paper mache. They have been touted in the Journal of Luxury and Fashions , among others . Portrait busts of famous contemporaries, whose archetypes came from and were cast by external artists such as Gottfried Schadow , as well as animal figures and pieces of trees that were used as centerpieces, were sold as well as church decorations. In the Schwerin cathedral, for example, there is an almost two meter high obelisk with a Christogram as an altarpiece, inside of which a note was discovered in 1996 on which Johann Georg Bachmann noted that he made six altar candlesticks and a cross in 1802. Similar pieces of equipment can also be found in the castle church of Ludwigslust.

Bachmann obtained the busts and statues, which were molded and reproduced in Ludwigslust, from the Rostische Kunsthandlung in Leipzig and from the plasterer Dominicus Seewaldt in Berlin . They were preferably molded by Johann (the "younger Bachmann") and Christian Bachmann. Christian Bachmann was Sievert's successor as court sculptor. The animal and tree pieces in particular were colored. For this, Johann Heinrich Suhrlandt and a painter Richardt were brought in.

The oldest production and sales lists of Carton Fabrique received date back to 1783. There, 22 different busts are listed, 14 of which featured people from the ancient times is. In addition, had Madonna, a Peter, children's heads and portraits of Isaac Newton and John Dryden in Offer. In the following year Lavater and Lessing were included in the program, later also various contemporary rulers and other celebrities. In 1791, for example, a bust of Benjamin Franklin , who had died the previous year, was added. In 1799 Bachmann bought a Napoleon - and a Nelson bust for molding - from the plasterer Künckler in Braunschweig - Bonaparte in paper maché was sold seven times in 1800. With the exception of a few allegorical representations, full-body figures were only sold after the pious sovereign's death. B. Medici Venus , a naked female figure coming out of the bath, and a faun with a flute. The heyday of animal figures began in 1787, and pieces of trees were added to the program in 1788. The remains of one of these pieces of tree have been in the Schwerin State Museum since 1920 . What has been preserved is a shepherd leaning against a ruined tree with a standing ox and a lying cow. This group originally included a standing cow and a dog, plus a tray with mirror glass on clawed feet. This group was designed by Sievert.

The Ludwigsluster Carton-Fabrique flourished until the 19th century. From 1773 onwards, it was supplied with old files from the ducal writing and control rooms, the contents of which can still be read on the back and inside of the paper maché products. However, the decline began around 1808; more precious materials came back into fashion. In 1835 production in the Carton-Fabrique was stopped. In 1837 the Grand Duke Paul Friedrich moved the residence back to Schwerin .

literature

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Stadtkirche Ludwigslust : Church book . Funerals No. 27/1816.
  2. ↑ Kristina Hegner: Sparsamkeit und Kunst um 1800. In: Arbeitskreis Bild Druck Papier Volume 13th conference proceedings Hagenow 2008. Christa Pieske on her 90th birthday. Waxmann, Münster 2009, ISBN 978-3-8309-2174-5 , pp. 29-44, here p. 42.
  3. ↑ Kristina Hegner: Sparsamkeit und Kunst um 1800. In: Arbeitskreis Bild Druck Papier Volume 13th conference proceedings Hagenow 2008. Christa Pieske on her 90th birthday. Waxmann, Münster 2009, ISBN 978-3-8309-2174-5 , pp. 29-44, here p. 31.
  4. ↑ Kristina Hegner: Sparsamkeit und Kunst um 1800. In: Arbeitskreis Bild Druck Papier Volume 13th conference proceedings Hagenow 2008. Christa Pieske on her 90th birthday. Waxmann, Münster 2009, ISBN 978-3-8309-2174-5 , pp. 29-44, here p. 42.
  5. ↑ Kristina Hegner: Sparsamkeit und Kunst um 1800. In: Arbeitskreis Bild Druck Papier Volume 13th conference proceedings Hagenow 2008. Christa Pieske on her 90th birthday. Waxmann, Münster 2009, ISBN 978-3-8309-2174-5 , pp. 29-44, here p. 33.
  6. ↑ Kristina Hegner: Sparsamkeit und Kunst um 1800. In: Arbeitskreis Bild Druck Papier Volume 13th conference proceedings Hagenow 2008. Christa Pieske on her 90th birthday. Waxmann, Münster 2009, ISBN 978-3-8309-2174-5 , pp. 29-44, passim .
  7. ↑ Christiane Rossner: Hard to believe: it's all cardboard! Ludwigslust Palace has set up a magnificent monument made of paper maché. In: monumente online. April 2012.

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Bachmann, Johann Georg
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Lackey and inventor
DATE OF BIRTH around 1738
DATE OF DEATH May 28, 1816
Place of death Ludwigslust