Karl Fuchs (painter, 1872)

Karl Fuchs (born February 2, 1872 in Stuttgart , † June 27, 1968 in Esslingen am Neckar ) was a regionally known lithographer , graphic artist and painter who was particularly successful in Esslingen .

Life

Karl Fuchs did an apprenticeship as a lithographer at a young age. For artistic training he attended courses at the Academy of Fine Arts in Stuttgart with Hermann Pleuer and Friedrich von Keller . There he also met the Swabian landscape painter Otto Reiniger .

Karl Fuchs was able to set up his own business as a lithographer and book illustrator around 1895. He drew for the Stuttgart General-Anzeiger and created picture postcards for various publishers. He made a name for himself especially as an illustrator in the Stuttgart region.

In 1900 the State Statistical Office commissioned him to illustrate the 4 volumes “The Kingdom of Württemberg. A description by districts, higher offices and municipalities ”. In this year he also moved from Stuttgart to Buoch (district of Remshalden near Schorndorf), where he lived with his family until 1907.

The village environment encouraged Karl Fuchs to also work as a painter and to design numerous landscape paintings in which he captured characteristic natural moods of the different seasons as oil paintings .

In 1907, Karl Fuchs changed his place of work and moved to Esslingen.

Karl Fuchs was important as a "chronicler of his time" in the following years: In watercolors and drawings - often published as postcards - he recorded many buildings and sights in Württemberg as works of art, some of which no longer exist or have been greatly changed due to the effects of war, etc. . This is how his works became interesting documents of the times. In Esslingen in particular, he sketched well-known buildings, alleys and squares.

Karl Fuchs also made a name for himself as a sensitive portraitist .

In later years Karl Fuchs went on art trips to Northern Italy (1913), Switzerland (1929) and South Africa (1932). Numerous portraits, landscapes and sketches were created there.

Karl Fuchs lived in Esslingen until his death. There at the castle, the Karl-Fuchs-Weg reminds of the artist whose oil paintings, watercolors, etchings and sketches made Esslingen history.

Numerous works by Karl Fuchs and books illustrated by him can be found in the Esslingen City Museum (Yellow House) and in the Württemberg State Library (WLB) in Stuttgart.

Works

Paintings and original graphics

According to Otto Borst 1969 (p. 389, note 306), there is no comprehensive inventory. The City of Esslingen alone owns 42 works and the Esslingen City Museum 52 originals.

Book illustrations and portfolios

• The Kingdom of Württemberg. A description by districts, regional offices and municipalities. Published by the K. State Statistical Office. 4 volumes 1904 - 1907. All volumes online via Wikisource [1]
• KJ Fischer: Our home, contributions to local history and history of the city and district of Esslingen , with illustrations by Karl Fuchs, Esslingen 1949.
• Karl Fuchs: Esslingen a. N. 10 views based on drawings by Karl Fuchs , Art Publishing House Fingerle Esslingen, undated

literature

• Otto Borst : About Alt-Esslingen , Esslingen 1969, pp. 182-185
• Esslingen City Museum (ed.): Karl Fuchs. A painter from Esslingen, Esslingen 2005