Wilhelm Geißler (artist, 1895)

Wilhelm Geißler (born September 29, 1895 in Hamm , † February 11, 1977 in Wuppertal ) was a German graphic artist , wood cutter and painter .

Life

After attending secondary school, he first worked for a year as a technical draftsman, then as a trainee with a master painter. From 1913 to 1916 he studied at the Düsseldorf School of Applied Arts , where he worked for the mural painter Hein Rüter. During this time his first publications fell. From 1916 to 1918, Geissler took part in the First World War as a soldier. During this time he presented his works for the first time in an exhibition in the Gustav Lübcke Museum in Hamm.

From 1919 to 1920 Geißler studied with A. Kolb at the Graphic Academy in Leipzig, then he switched to the Munich School of Applied Arts for the years 1921 to 1922. Between 1922 and 1929 Geißler lived in Rudolstadt as a house graphic artist for Greifenverlag . During this time there were exhibitions in Copenhagen, Hamm, Bochum, Aachen, Krefeld and Wuppertal. On January 5, 1929, he married Elfriede von Ponickau. In 1930 the couple moved to Cologne.

In 1934 he founded the Woensam-Presse in Cologne with the Cologne artists Franz M. Jansen (left in 1939), Käthe Schmitz Imhoff, Peter Straussfeld, Anton Wolff and Irmgart Zumloh , who called themselves the Woensam-Ring. In the same year Rudi Rhein joined the Woensam Ring. The Woensampresse consisted of the artists of the Woensam-Ring and a support group in which one could become a member. The annual membership fee was RM 15. The members of the sponsorship group supported the work of the artist group and received work with a minimum value of RM 25 each year.

Until 1943, murals and mosaics for sacred and secular buildings were created in Cologne. In 1943, Geißler became director of the master school for the creative crafts (today: Faculty for Art and Design of the Bergische Universität Wuppertal ). After his retirement in 1961 he worked as a freelance artist in Wuppertal-Barmen until his death.

Exhibitions

Wilhelm Geißler participated a. a. at the international art exhibitions 1922 Copenhagen, 1936 Warsaw, 1937 Lyon, 1937 Beijing, 1939 Chicago, 1942 Brussels, 1952 Lakeland, Florida, 1965 Krakow, 1966 Vienna, Graz and Linz, graphics since Goya, 1966 Washington, 1967 Gothenburg, 1967 Karlsbad, Intergrafik, 1967 Budapest, Intergrafik, 1967 Warsaw, Kulturpalast, 1968 Oslo, Kunstnernes Hus, 1968 Moscow, Pushkin Museum, 1968 Leningrad, Hermitage, 1969 St. Niklaas (Belgium), International Graphic Show. He was also nationally involved in 1918 in Hamm, 1934 Berlin, 1934 Düsseldorf, 1935 Dessau, 1936 Leipzig, 1937 Karlsruhe, 1937 Wuppertal-Barmen, 1959 Munich, 1965 Berlin, Intergrafik 65, 1965 Solingen, 1965 Wuppertal-Barmen, 1966 Baden-Baden German woodcut, 1966 Wuppertal-Barmen, 1966 Hamm. 1966 Ludwigstein Castle and 1967 Berlin Intergrafik 67.

Works

Large works

Mosaic of the phoenix from the ashes in Frankfurt am Main

• Stained glass window for the University of Cologne (1934), destroyed in World War II
• Mosaic in the Alsdorf High School (1934)
• Exterior mosaic "Phoenix" at the Salzhaus , Römerberg in Frankfurt / Main (1955)

Graphic work

Wilhelm Geißler's graphic work includes paintings, monotypes, drawings and mixed media, mosaics and woodcuts.

painting

• Way of the Cross, 1922, 34 × 36 cm
• Self-portrait, 1925, 101 × 71 cm, Von der Heydt-Museum
• Water corpse, 1925, 51 × 71 cm
• Bottle table with guitar, 1962, 60 × 84 cm
• Nocturnal castle, 1965, 46 × 61 cm

Monotypes

• The Land Necks II, 1956, 62 × 48 cm

Mosaics

• Moses head, 1932, 51 × 71 cm
• Workers, 1934, 52 × 71 cm

Woodcuts

• The young Grabbe, 1924, 25 × 30 cm
• The artificial man, 1925, 10 sheets, each 12 × 16 cm
• Angry Moses, 1926, 29 × 43 cm
• Miner (head), 1926, 23 × 30 cm

• Speaker among the Brothers, 1945
• Trümmer-Idyll, 1947, 37 × 54 cm
• Peasant skull, 1948
• The shepherd in the field, 1948
• Pride and Dignity, 1949
• Soaring stork, 1950, 25 × 30 cm
• Zebras, 1969, 32.5 x 43 cm
• Critic X, 1973, 38 × 50 cm
• Fire head, 1974, 35 × 17 cm

bookplate

Wilhelm Geissler has - mainly as woodcuts - to relatives, friends and acquaintances - libris (bookplates) designed.

Honors

• 1952 Blue ribbon for graphics for the city of Lakeland, Florida
• 1970 Silver plaque of honor from the city of Hamm
• Johann Gutenberg Medal of the City of Mainz

literature

• Uwe Eckardt: Wuppertal ex-libris . In: Romerike Berge. Journal for the Bergisches Land. 51st year, Heft 2, 2001, pp. 2–25 (also on Wilhelm Geißler, especially p. 6)
• Kurt Kauenhoven: The wood cutter Wilhelm Geißler . In: Exhibition Wilhelm Geissler . Gustav Lübcke Museum Hamm. o. o. o. J. (Hamm 1975)
• Wilhelm Geißler: How I got into the woodcut . In: Exhibition Wilhelm Geissler . Gustav Lübcke Museum Hamm. o. o. o. J. (Hamm 1975)
• Exhibition Wilhelm Geissler . Gustav Lübcke Museum Hamm. o. o. o. J. (Hamm 1975)
• Wilhelm Geissler. Exhibition of paintings, monotypes, drawings, woodcuts on the occasion of his seventieth birthday. Municipal Gustav Lübcke Museum Hamm. March 13 to April 11, 1966. Hamm 1966.
• H. Meermeyer: In a stable in Bethlehem. To a Christmas woodcut by the hammer painter and graphic artist Wilhelm Geißler (1895–1977) , in: Unser Westfalen 1998, p. 42 (with a short biography).
• Kurt Kauenhoven (Ed.): Wilhelm Geißler, wood cuts, a work book [For Wilhelm Geißler's 65th birthday on behalf of the Friends of the Woensampresse (work group of German graphic artists)]. [Special print]. Wuppertal [-Barmen]: Woensampresse, 1960, 54 p. (Printed by the Woensampresse in Wuppertal; 125)
• Wilhelm Geissler. Exhibition of paintings, monotypes, drawings and woodcuts on the occasion of his seventieth birthday. Municipal Gustav Lübcke Museum Hamm. March 13 to April 11, 1966. Hamm 1966.
• Kurt Kauenhoven: Wilhelm Geissler. En tysk bookplate artist . Rudkøbing: Forlaget Grafolio, 1968, 56 p., (Kunstner-monografi; No. 9)
• Kurt Kauenhoven (ed.): Greetings to Wilhelm Geißler. A friend's gift for his 75th birthday . With contributions by Artur Buschmann , Werner Helwig , HAP Grieshaber , Eugen Skasa-Weiß , Joseph E. Drexel , Frans Masereel , Hans Pape and others. Essen: Private printing of the Woensampresse, 1970, 63 pages
• Wilhelm Geißler: Environment - woodcuts, printed from the Urstock - (1965) -. Essen, Woensampresse, 1965. Bound as a block book. With 10 full-page woodcuts by Wilhelm Geissler and 1 title illustration. Published on the occasion of Wilhelm Geissler's seventieth birthday (September 29, 1965) in Essen. In an edition of 500 numbered copies.