Wilhelm Zahn (artist)

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Wilhelm Johann Karl Zahn (born August 21, 1800 in Rodenberg ; † August 22, 1871 in Berlin ) was a German decorative painter , architect and ornament researcher.

Life

The cupid seller , colored fresco from Stabiae near Pompeii , now Naples , Museo Nazionale , lithograph from Zahn's publication The most beautiful ornaments and strangest paintings from Pompeii, Herculanum and Stabiae ...

Zahn received lessons in architecture and painting from Andreas Range and Sebastian Weygandt in Kassel . In addition, he learned from senior construction director Heinrich Christoph Jussow . Around 1823/24 he was in Paris , together with his brother Georg and Johann Wilhelm Nahl . He attended the studios of Jean-Victor Bertin and Antoine-Jean Gros . Following his stay in Paris, he spent three years in Italy from 1824, particularly in Pompeii , where he made numerous drawings of wall frescoes in the ruins and in the museum. After his return from Italy, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe brought him connections in the highest circles of culture and politics. In 1829 he became a royal Prussian professor and patent architect.

His portfolio “The most beautiful ornaments and strangest paintings from Pompeii, Herculanum and Stabiae”, published by Verlag Reimer from 1828 to 1830 , with 100 plates, including many printed in color, brought the economic breakthrough for color lithography . Later he continued the successful publication with two more volumes of the same size. In addition, he brought out cross-epoch master works with ornaments. The focus of his research interest was on obtaining templates for arts and crafts . As the study of antiquity and other art epochs became more scientific, his publications became less important.

Works

  • Decorations in Parisian theaters, whereabouts unknown (Schasler 1863, p. 210)
  • Landscape after Claude Joseph Vernet, whereabouts unknown (Hanover, StA).

Fonts

  • Newly discovered wall paintings in Pompeii drawn by W. Zahn . JG Cotta, Munich 1828 ( arachne.uni-koeln.de ).
  • The most beautiful ornaments and strangest paintings from Pompeii, Herculanum and Stabiae: after a few floor plans and views according to the original drawings made on the spot . Reimer, Berlin ( digi.ub.uni-heidelberg.de - 1828–1830; later counted as the first series).
  • The most beautiful ornaments and strangest paintings from Pompeii, Herculanum and Stabiae based on the original drawings made on the spot. 2nd episode . Reimer, Berlin ( digi.ub.uni-heidelberg.de - 1842–1844).
  • The most beautiful ornaments and strangest paintings from Pompeii, Herculanum and Stabiae based on the original drawings made on the spot. 3rd episode . Reimer, Berlin ( digi.ub.uni-heidelberg.de - 1852-1859).
  • Exquisite decorations from the entire field of fine arts . Reimer, Berlin ( data.onb.ac.at = books.google.de - 1842–1844; 5 booklets with 25 plates).
  • Ornaments from all classical art epochs based on the originals in their peculiar colors . Reimer, Berlin, urn : nbn: de: gbv: wim2-g-1036677 (1832–1848; 20 booklets with 100 plates).

literature

  • Max Schasler: Studies on the Characteristics of Major Contemporary Artists, XXXII “Wilhelm Zahn” . In: Schasler's Ztschr. “Die Dioskuren” . VIII. Year, no. 28–35 , 1863, pp. 209–210, 217–219, 225–227, 233–235, 241–243, 249–250, 255–256, 261–262 ( digi.ub.uni-heidelberg.de ).
  • Alfred Gotthold Meyer:  tooth, Wilhelm Johann Karl . In: Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie (ADB). Volume 44, Duncker & Humblot, Leipzig 1898, pp. 668-670.
  • Joachim Migl: The pictures in print. Techniques and meaning . In: Marion Mannsperger, Joachim Migl (Hrsg.): Pictures from Pompeii. Second hand antiquity. Traces in Württemberg (exhibition catalog Stuttgart 1998) . 1998, p. 27-40 .
  • Joachim Migl: Wilhelm Zahn's documentation of Pompeian wall paintings as an early color lithograph (with an excursus on Boris Fuchs' technique, natural science aspects) . In: Volker Benad-Wagenhoff, Silvia Werfel (ed.): Printing ink between alchemy and high-tech. Annual meeting of the International Working Group on Printing History (IAD), November 9-11, 2001 in Stuttgart (=  contributions to the history of printing ). tape 2 , 2003, p. 39-60 .
  • Sylva van der Heyden: Zahn, Wilhelm . In: Bénédicte Savoy, France Nerlich (ed.): Paris apprenticeship years. A lexicon for training German painters in the French capital . tape 1: 1793-1843 . De Gruyter, Berlin / Boston 2013, ISBN 978-3-11-029057-8 , pp. 322-323 .
  • Arnd Hennemeyer: Wilhelm Zahn's Pompeji publication. An incunable of color lithography . In: Uta Hassler (Hrsg.): Maltechnik & Farbmittel der Semperzeit . Hirmer, Munich 2014, ISBN 978-3-7774-2369-2 , pp. 98-123 .
  • María Ocón Fernández: Wilhelm Zahn's work on the wall paintings of Pompeii. Relationship between original, document and copy . In: Uta Hassler (Hrsg.): Polychromie & Wissen . Hirmer, Munich 2019, ISBN 978-3-7774-3333-2 , pp. 76-97.

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Zahn, Wilhelm
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Zahn, Wilhelm Johann Karl (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German decorative painter and architect
DATE OF BIRTH August 21, 1800
PLACE OF BIRTH Rodenberg
DATE OF DEATH August 22, 1871
Place of death Berlin