Wolfgang Dietrich Majer
Wolfgang Dietrich Majer (also: Dietrich Majer , born March 20, 1698 in Bernloch , today part of Hohenstein, Reutlingen district; † June 23, 1762 in Tübingen ) was a Württemberg painter . He lived most of the time in Tübingen and was known for his portraits. But he also painted landscapes and animal pictures. Although his works included several portraits of dukes and professors, which were also circulated as engravings, Majer's fame faded unusually quickly. Majer was the father of the famous miniaturist Jeremias Mayer and the uncle of the portrait painter August Friedrich Oelenhainz .
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Life
Origin and childhood
Majer was the oldest of seven children of the evangelical pastor of Bernloch, Johann Wolfgang Majer and his wife Anna Katharina geb. Renz. Father Majer came from an old Tübingen bourgeois family that can be traced back to 1550. The mother was a daughter of the preacher and doctor M. Abel Renz from Isny . Wolfgang Dietrich Majer owes his first name to his distant relative Johann Wolfgang Dietrich, who was court preacher in Stuttgart at the time and who became his godfather. His godmother was Anna Rosina Renz, the wife of his uncle Abel Renz . The relocations of the father determined the family moves: 1700 to Zainingen (today part of Römerstein), 1704 to Hildrizhausen , and 1714 to Derendingen near Tübingen, where he lived until his death in 1730. So Majer grew up in a deeply religious family, which shaped his entire life. Since the father was not wealthy on the one hand, and on the other hand, Wolfgang Dietrich showed an artistic talent at an early age, so he did not follow in his father's footsteps, as was usual with the Württemberg priests, but was trained as a painter. It is not known where and with whom this training took place.
First marriage
When he came (back) to Tübingen in 1729, his reputation as a painter was consolidated. He applied to the rector of the university for academic citizenship, but he started a family in the first half of the year without waiting for the decision. He married Anna Barbara Sturmin, daughter of the official mayor and famous surgeon from Bodelshausen , Georg Wilhelm Sturm. With her he had five children (born between 1730 and 1736), of which only the fourth-born son Jeremias (born January 18, 1735) survived childhood. Majer was officially granted academic citizenship on October 20, 1729. After the birth of the fifth daughter in December 1736, the wife was ailing, and when her health deteriorated, Majer's sister Maria Katharina took over her care and housekeeping. After a few months the wife died, the sister ran the household for a total of two years until she married herself. A woman who ran the household was essential for Majer because, although he lived in Tübingen, he also worked a lot at the court in Stuttgart , especially in the artist-poor period after Duke Carl Alexander's death. H. after 1737.
Second marriage
Probably at the end of 1741 Majer married for the second time: Eva Barbara Memminger (1719–1784), daughter of a butcher in Tübingen. At the time of the marriage, Majer's fortune was 700 florins , the wife's dowry was 300 florins. Majer had eight children with the second wife (born between 1742 and 1761), two of whom were sons. Out of the desire to give his then six-year-old son Jeremias a better upbringing, in January 1741 the father placed him in the care of his brother-in-law Schwalb, who was a civil servant - at that time in Rosenfeld and since 1743 in Ebingen . Majer's unsatisfactory housing situation in Tübingen can be seen from the fact that Jeremias first had to be cleaned of the vermin that plagued him by his aunt. The father picked up the "civilized" son on July 25, 1744. His son's stay with his brother-in-law gave rise to disputes because the father did not fully pay the agreed care allowance of 35 fl.
Bayreuth stay
Between the end of 1744 and the summer of 1745 Majer stayed for almost a year in Bayreuth at the court of Margravine Wilhelmine von Bayreuth , who probably occupied him with commissions for her summer residence . Majer was recommended by the Duchess of Württemberg Maria Augusta , who stayed there in 1742 and later. Apparently, the client was very satisfied with the execution of the order, because her daughter Elisabeth Sophie Friederike Majer's daughter Sophia Friederika asked to become her daughter's godmother on August 15, 1746.
Buying a house in Tübingen
It is true that Majer was an extremely productive portraitist who, although he could not complain about a lack of commissions, the usual pay for painters was very low. It also happened that he received no payment at all from some clients in Stuttgart. He also got into trouble with his tenants because they weren't paying. In any case, in view of the rapidly growing family, his income was smaller than the current expenses, and when he probably bought a house in Münzgasse in 1749 for 500 fl, his savings were now not even enough for a quarter of the purchase price; the rest was financed from the grandfather's inheritance from Jeremias.
London stay
In order to escape the misery of life in Tübingen and to try out his strength elsewhere, Majer left Tübingen on October 20, 1750 for London . He took 15-year-old Jeremias, who had already made good progress in painting, on the trip, while the rest of the family stayed in Tübingen. The day before he asked the rector to keep him academic citizenship because he was leaving his house and family in Tübingen. How successful his stay in London was is not known. He returned to Tübingen in 1755, while Jeremias stayed in London.
The last few years
After returning, he continued to work in a similar way to before the trip. In 1762 he fell ill and after just a few days this vital man died at the age of 64. He left around 30 (partly unfinished) paintings and 400 copperplate engravings in his studio. They were all estimated at 90 fl. Jeremias, who lives in London, renounced his inheritance in favor of the stepmother, because she was left with eight children without means and did not think about getting married again.
A son of Majers from his second marriage, Wolfgang Andreas (born December 2, 1747), also became a painter. However, he left Tübingen in an unknown direction.
power
Majer was a technically skilled and also agile portraitist who was also extremely productive. He was the preferred painter of distinguished scholars and high officials. During his lifetime he enjoyed a certain fame outside of Württemberg, which he owed to the copperplate engravings (in various techniques) on which his portraits were based. Johann Jacob Haid , Johann Martin Bernigeroth and Johann Elias Haid were among the engravers who made a special contribution to the distribution of his portraits . Some of the engravings by JJ Haid appeared e.g. B. in the large, widespread magnificent work by Johann Jakob Brucker Bildersaal, living writer today (temple of honor) , Augsburg 1741–1755. Since Majer never signed his paintings, precisely these engravings are direct evidence of his work. Majer's portraits are characterized by a sunny, strong tint, "which is roughly the middle between Rembrandt and the Nuremberg Kupetzky ", as well as by the distinctive drawing of some parts, especially the faces. On the basis of these characteristics, several other portraits from this period can be ascribed to Majer with certainty. However, one must be aware that most of his works are now lost.
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criticism
Majer's numerous “beautifully colored, pleasing portraits are particularly effective and decorative when reproducing precious fabrics. The male portraits occasionally attempt to characterize almost crudely, whereas the physiognomic value of the female portraits suffers from a generalized belittling. ”They all show a consistent similarity. That did not change after his stay in London. In some respects, Majer's portraits already reveal the dawn of a better time in painting, a detachment from the pose. Although Majer's paintings are among the best that were created in Tübingen (and perhaps in the whole of Württemberg) in the 18th century, they are artistically rather mediocre and have at most a historical or cultural historical value today.
Among the professor portraits, the very lively one of Professor Canz stands out. One of the most successful is the simple portrait of WA Schöpf. In the portrait of Prof. Krafft from 1750, the head is well carried out, while the hand appears somewhat wooden. "The least successful is Johann Friedrich Cotta's portrait, which is also made unnaturally black in the flesh shade."
More famous works
- Duke Eberhard Ludwig
- Duchess Johanna Elisabeth von Baden-Durlach [wife of Eberhard Ludwig]
- Duke Eberhard Ludwig on his death bed
- Duke Carl Alexander
- Duchess Marie-Auguste von Thurn und Taxis [wife of Carl Alexander]
- around 1734 Prof. Georg Bernhard Bilfinger (oil on canvas, Tübingen Professorengalerie ) [also mezzotint by Johann Jacob Haid and linear style by Johann Martin Bernigeroth]
- 1735 M. Johann Friedrich Flattich [(† 1736), garrison preacher in Kehl] (oil on canvas) [mezzotint by Georg Kilian]
- 1737 Prof. Johann Michael Hallwachs (1690–1738), (oil on canvas, Tübingen Professorengalerie) [also mezzotint by Johann Jacob Haid]
- 1738 Prof. Israel Gottlieb / Theophil / Canz (1690–1753), (oil on canvas, Tübingen Professorengalerie) [also mezzotint by Johann Jacob Haid and line style by PO Bernigeroth]
- 1739 Prof. Johann Friedrich Mögling (1690–1766), (oil on canvas, Tübingen Professorengalerie)
- 1739 Prof. Wolfgang Adam Schoepf (1679–1770) (oil on canvas, Tübingen Professorengalerie)
- 1739 Prof. Daniel Maichel (oil on canvas, Tübingen Professorengalerie)
- 1743 Magdalena Sybilla Weißensee [(1707–1786), poet] (oil on canvas) [mezzotint by Johann Jacob Haid and linear style by Johann Martin Bernigeroth]
- 1744 Prof. Johann Georg Gmelin (oil on canvas, Gleimhaus )
- around 1745 M. Johann Andreas Pfefferkorn [(1688–1749), pastor and consistorial councilor in Frankfurt a. M.] (oil on canvas) [mezzotint by J. Jacob Eberspach, 1749]
- 1745 and 1746 Prof. Burkhard David Mauchart (1696–1751), (oil on canvas, second: Tübingen Professorengalerie) [also mezzotint by Johann Jacob Haid and linear style by Johann Christoph Sysang ]
- before 1746 Maria Barbara Kornin born Grassin [(1695–1746), wife of privy councilor Christoph Korn] (oil on canvas) [mezzotint by Johann Jacob Haid]
- 1746 and 1750 Prof. Georg Wolfgang Krafft (oil on canvas, first: Tübingen Professorengalerie) [also mezzotint by Johann Jacob Haid and line style by Johann Martin Bernigeroth]
- 1748 Prof. Gottfried Daniel Hoffmann (oil on canvas, Tübingen Professorengalerie)
- no later than 1750 Prof. Johann Jakob Helfferich (1692–1750), (oil on canvas, Tübingen Professorengalerie)
- around 1750 Prof. Johann Friedrich Cotta (1701–1779), (oil on canvas, Tübingen Professorengalerie) [also mezzotint by Johann Jacob Haid]
- Wilhelm Friedrich Knebel [(1720–1795), court judge] (oil on canvas) [engraving by Ludwig Necker , Württembergische Landesbibliothek Stuttgart]
- 1753 (or later) Prof. Georg Friedrich Sigwart (oil on canvas, Tübingen Professorengalerie)
- 1756 Prof. Ludwig Conrad Smalcalder (1696–1774) (oil on canvas, Tübingen Professorengalerie)
- before 1757 Kaspar Kretz [pastor of the Protestant parish church to the Barefooters in Augsburg] [engraving by Johann Jacob Haid]
- 1757 Prof. Jeremias Friedrich Reuss (oil on canvas) [mezzotint by Johann Elias Haid, 1773]
- 1757 Immanuel Gottlob Brastberger [dean in Nürtingen] (oil on canvas) [engravings: u. a. Mezzotint by Johann Jacob Haid (Württembergische Landesbibliothek Stuttgart) and by Johann Benedikt Winkler, Nuremberg]
- Prof. Mr. Wilhelm Clemm (1725–1775) [only preserved copperplate engravings by Jacob Andreas Friedrich, 1760 and 1762 (Württembergische Landesbibliothek Stuttgart)]
Notes and individual references
- ↑ Leopold Oelenheinz: The Tübingen painter family Majer , pp 210 and 225
- ↑ a b c d e L. Oelenheinz: Die Tübingen painter family Majer , p. 225
- ↑ In Majer's estate there were almost exclusively religious books.
- ↑ L. Oelenheinz: The Tübingen Majer family of painters , pp. 210–212
- ↑ L. Oelenheinz: The Tübingen painter family Majer , pp 212-213
- ↑ a b Werner Fleischhauer: Barock ... , p. 283
- ↑ a b L. Oelenheinz: Die Tübingen painter family Majer , p. 213
- ↑ L. Oelenheinz: Die Tübingen painter family Majer , pp. 214–215
- ↑ L. Oelenheinz: The Tübingen Majer family of painters , pp. 216–217
- ↑ L. Oelenheinz: The Tübingen Majer family of painters , pp. 213-214
- ↑ a b L. Oelenheinz: Die Tübingen painter family Majer , p. 216
- ↑ It was probably about engravings that were made after Majer's paintings.
- ↑ L. Oelenheinz: The Tübingen Majer family of painters , p. 224
- ↑ L. Oelenheinz: The Tübingen Majer family of painters , p. 223
- ↑ L. Oelenheinz: The Tübingen Majer family of painters , pp. 228-229
- ↑ a b Werner Fleischhauer: Barock… , pp. 282–283
- ↑ directory mainly by Leopold Oelenheinz, partially verified by: Reinhold Scholl: The portrait collection of the University of Tübingen , Stuttgart: Müller 1927
literature
- Werner Fleischhauer : Baroque in the Duchy of Württemberg , Stuttgart: Kohlhammer 1958 (= publication of the Commission for Historical Regional Studies in Baden-Württemberg), pp. 282–283
- Leopold Oelenheinz : The Majer family of painters from Tübingen . In: “Württembergische Vierteljahreshefte für Landesgeschichte”, Stuttgart: Kohlhammer 1912, pp. 210–229
Web links
- Studion: Tübingen Professorengalerie (currently not available)
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Majer, Wolfgang Dietrich |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Majer, Dietrich |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | German painter |
| DATE OF BIRTH | March 20, 1698 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Bernloch , today part of Hohenstein (Reutlingen district) |
| DATE OF DEATH | June 23, 1762 |
| Place of death | Tübingen |