Biographies

Last updated: April 2, 2014

The following biographies are those of workers active in the eighteenth century German porcelain industry. This developing list complements Nelson and Roberts, A History of Eighteenth-Century German Porcelain: The Warda Stevens Stout Collection, 2013.

These initial biographies were selected for ease of inclusion. Therefore, readers will find important figures mixed with less important ones. The list will include more biographies of principal artists and craftspeople in the near future. Bibliographical references listed below correspond to those used in the book.

Angele, Joseph

(b. 1716 Ochsenhausen im Kreis Biberach—d. Höchst 1792)

Painter, landscapes and figures; especially known for painting in purple camaïeu. Training, early work unknown. Working at Höchst by 1752; remained there until his death, (Oppenheim 1960, pp. 138-45; Reber and Ohlig 2002, p.106.)

Beyer, Johann Christian Friedrich Wilhelm

(b. probably c. 1725 Gotha—d. Vienna 1806)

Sculptor, porcelain modeler, Bossierer. Studied various arts, architecture in Paris, Rome. Appointed Württemberg court sculptor c. 1760. Modeler at Ludwigsburg 1759-67; supervisor of Bossierer workroom (Bossierer Aufseher) 1762/64-67. Sculptor in Vienna 1768-1806. (Flach 1997, pp. 770-73.)

Bustelli, Franz Anton

(b. unknown—d. Nymphenburg 1763)

Sculptor. Little known of early life. Probably trained as a sculptor, possibly with Johann Baptist Straub, Munich. Entered Nymphenburg factory as a “figurist” in 1751, probably without experience working in porcelain. Supervised three Bossierer and one apprentice from November 1754. Also had administrative duties buying clay, signing bills; responsible for glaze after Härtl's departure. Created about 150 models in eight and a half years at factory; most likely created all figures between 1755-1763. (Bach 2004, p. 25; Hantschmann and Ziffer 2004, pp. 29-36.)

Dannhöffer, Johann Philipp Joseph

(b. c. 1712 Vienna—d. Ludwigsburg 1790)

Porcelain and faience painter of landscapes, birds, figures, Laub und Bandelwerk borders. Trained, worked at Du Paquier factory. Recorded at Bayreuth faience factory in 1737. Subsequently worked at faience factories including Abtsbessingen in the mid-1740s, Höchst in 1747-the early 1750s, Fulda and probably others in the 1750s; Ludwigsburg c. 1761-70; Ansbach early 1770s-unknown; Ludwigsburg 1773/80 (?)-1790. (Hayward 1952, pp. 125-28; Reber 1986, pp. 286-287; Flach 1997, pp. 790-93; Flach 2005c, pp. 130-32, 163, 169, 221.)

Gerlach, Johann Carl

(b. c. 1723 Dresden— d. Rudolstadt 1783)

Painter, miniatures and porcelain; specialized in figures. Apprenticed at Meissen. Listed as “already gone” in December of 1745 when Prussians took Meissen. Miniature painter for Frederick the Great 1746-47. Probably worked at Wegely factory, Berlin. In Ansbach 1757/58; briefly in Vienna 1758; documented at Nymphenburg November 1758-May 1759; documented at Ansbach 1762/63, still there in 1768. At the time of his death, he had a shop in Rudolstadt where he sold artists' colors (Bayer 1959, 1 p. 199; Rückert 1990, p. 149; Fleicher 1999, p. 28.)

Götz, Johann Wilhelm

(b. 1732, possibly Geislenberg, Poland—d. Ludwigsburg 1762)

Bossierer, Oberbossierer, sculptor. Training, early work unknown. Knew work of Johann Joachim Kaendler. Called “Bossierer” in Ludwigsburg church register February 11, 1759. Name found only at Ludwigsburg; first appears as Ludwigsburg employee March 29, 1759; Duke Carl Eugen sets salary at 26 gulden. Called “Oberbossierer” in church records March 17, 1760. In 1892, Bertold Pfeiffer cited documents recording Götz as “sculptor.” Formerly known as “The Modeler of the Apollo Candlestick.” (Jensen 1999, pp. 3, 12)

Haselmeyer, Johann Christoph

(b. unknown, possibly Tübingen—d. unknown c. 1771)

Bossierer (wax and porcelain), Oberbossierer. Worked at Ludwigsburg 1760-c. 1771. (Flach 1997, pp. 836-37.)

Höflich/Hoefflein, Johann Jacob the Elder

(b. unknown, possibly Frankenthal—d. Frankenthal 1776)

Painter, birds, landscapes, flowers. Training unknown. Worked at Frankenthal (recorded there as "Hoefflein") from 1755; at Ludwigsburg (recorded there as Höflich) c. 1761-c. 1772; Frankenthal again in 1773. Thought to be the father of Höflich the Younger. (Maus 1963, pp. 51-52; Flach 1997, pp. 848-49; Flach 2005c, pp. 128-29, 223; Beaucamp-Markowsky 2008-, vol. 1, p.70, vol. 2, p. 239.) In Beaucamp-Markowsky, landscape painter Johann Jakob Hoefflein the Elder (Höffle, Höfle, Hefle, and Höflen, alternative spellings) has the same working and death dates as Höflich the Elder listed in Flach 2005c, p. 223. Johann Jacob Hoefflein the Elder and Johann Jakob Höflich the Elder appear to be the same person. For the only “Höflich” in the Frankenthal records, see below.

Höflich, Johann Jacob the Younger

(b. Frankenthal 1762?—d. unknown)

Painter, birds. Early training unknown, possibly Ludwigsburg. Employed at Ludwigsburg, 1774-76; supposedly at Frankenthal, 1778-79; no record after 1780. Thought to be the son of Höflich/Hoefflein the Elder. (Flach 1997, p. 849; Flach 2005c, pp. 128-29, 223; Maus 1963, pp. 51-52). In Beaucamp-Markowsky 2008-, vol. 1, p. 70 and vol. 2, pp. 52, 236, 239, 240, the only Höflich found in the Frankenthal documents is Gottfried Höflich (Höffle), a bird painter.

Hutter, Albrecht

(christened December 10, 1754, Ansbach—d. Ansbach November 9, 1804)

Painter, birds and animals. Documented at Ansbach 1783-1804. (See Bayer 1959, pp. 121, 199-200; Kreiger, 1974, p. 20.)

Kaendler, Johann Friedrich

(b. February 17, 1734, Neukirchen im Vogtland—d. Ansbach February 5, 1791)

Modeler, arcanist, Ansbach factory manager. Apprenticed, worked at Meissen, probably fleeing during Seven Years’ War. Possibly worked at Wegely factory, Berlin, c. 1757. Arrived Ansbach 1757/58 and remained there in various positions. Cousin or nephew of Johann Joachim Kaendler. (See Bayer 1959, pp. 19-20, 195-96; Rückert 1990, p. 112.)

Kirschner, Cornelius Martin Friedrich

(b. 1748 Hamburg—d. Wildberg 1788 while official resident of Augsburg)

Painter, floral subjects; watercolorist, engraver, various subjects. Training, early work unknown. Porcelain painter at Ludwigsburg, 1770-77, 1779-at least December 5, 1784. Employed 1777-79 to make watercolors of plants in botanical garden, Nuremberg. Engraver, floral subjects while at Ludwigsburg; published floral engravings, c. 1785. Applied for Augsburg citizenship, 1787; engraver, various subjects including portraits. (Flach, 1999, pp. 9-34; Flach 2005c, pp. 56-59, 223.)

Lejeune, Pierre François

(b. 1721 Brussels—d. Brussels 1790)

Sculptor, modeler. Trained in Brussels. In Rome late 1730s-early 1750s. Württemberg Court Sculptor 1753-78; modeler Ludwigsburg c. 1760-78. (Flach 1997, pp. 886-87.)

Louis, Johann Jacob

(b. c. 1703 Belgium, possibly Namur—Ludwigsburg 1772)

Oberbossierer, modeler. Training, early work unclear. At Tournai 1754; possibly also worked in Strasbourg, Sceaux, Orléans; at Ludwigsburg 1762-72. (Flach 1997, p. 890.)

Nees, Joseph

(b. 1730 Memmingen—d. Memmingen 1778)

Bossierer, modeler, possibly painter. Training unknown. Worked at Künersberg c. 1745-mid-1750s, possibly as an underglaze-blue painter; possibly at Schrezheim and Ellwangen late 1750s; Bossierer at Ludwigsburg 1759-67; worked at Zurich late 1760s-1775. (Flach 1997, pp. 903-04.)

Oettner, Andreas Philipp

(b. c. 1735 unknown, probably Vienna, possibly Saxony—d. Vienna 1792)

Painter, Watteau and Commedia dell’Arte subjects, chinoiserie, landscapes, flowers, battle scenes. May have worked in Vienna factory before 1756; at Nymphenburg 1756/57, where he may have painted flower bouquets in the Viennese style; Interval with Commedia dell’Arte troupe. Worked briefly at Frankenthal in 1759; at Ludwigsburg 1759-63/64; Höchst 1763/64-66; Fürstenberg 1767; Vienna 1783-92. May also have worked at Weesp, Holland. (Reber, 1974, pp. 11-15; Ziffer 1997, pp. 126-129; Oettner death record courtesy of Hans Dieter Flach, e-mail to the author, May 27, 2006.)

Riedel, Gottlieb Friedrich

(b. 1724 Dresden—d. Augsburg 1784)

Painter, genre subjects, birds, animals, flowers, landscapes, figures; also Obermaler, modeler and designer, color chemist, engraver, art instructor. Apprenticed to Darmstadt oil painter Johann Christian Fielder (1697-1765); worked with Dresden court painter Louis de Silvestre (1675-1760). Trained in porcelain painting and worked at Meissen 1743-56. Possible study trip to Paris. Employed at Höchst 1757; Obermaler at Frankenthal 1757-59; Obermaler at Ludwigsburg May, 1759-late 1770s, where he also designed dinnerware. Art instructor, copperplate engraver, Augsburg 1779-84. (Landenberger, 1983, p. 83; Rückert 1990, p. 186.)

Ringler, Joseph Jakob

(b. 1730 Vienna—d. Ludwigsburg 1804)

Arcanist, kiln designer, painter (flowers and possibly landscapes), director. Helped establish numerous German porcelain factories. Probably apprenticed at Vienna porcelain factory. Documented in Höchst church records December 30, 1750; left Höchst late 1751/early 1752. Worked in Strasbourg and Frankenthal c. 1752-53; Neudeck/Nymphenburg late summer 1753-January 30, 1757; subsequently Memmingen/Künersberg until November 1757; Schrezheim November 1757 for two weeks; Utzmemmingen-Ellwangen late 1757 until February 1759; Ludwigsburg February 1759 until retirement and death in 1802. Two of his arcanum books survive in a Swiss private collection. (Ducret, S. “Joseph Jakob Ringler, Der Zeichner.” Keramos 30 (1965), pp. 3-8; Flach 1997, pp. 921-25; Flach 2005c, pp. 35-38, 225.)

Schöllhammer, Johann Melchior

(b. 1745 Ansbach—d. Ansbach April 15, 1816)

Painter, landscapes, figures, Watteau subjects; painting inspector, factory director. Probably apprenticed at Ansbach, employed there from 1762 until death. Sent briefly to Höchst c. 1763, to Frankenthal, and to France for study and experience. Back in Ansbach c. 1764. Head of Ansbach painting workshop from 1769; factory director 1791-1807. (Bayer 1959, pp. 123, 200-201.)

Steinkopf, Johann Friedrich

(b. 1737 unknown—d. Stuttgart 1825)

Painter, animals (especially horses), landscapes, figures; Hausmaler, art instructor (Zeichenlehrer.) Training unknown. Painter at Frankenthal 1756-59; at Ludwigsburg 1759-early 1770s; Hausmaler early 1770s, also art instructor Stuttgart until c. 1800. Württemberg court painter early 1800s; in retirement 1817. (Heuser, 1922, p. 49; Flach 2005c, pp. 77-79, 226; Beaucamp-Markowsky 2008-, vol. 1, p. 72; Flach 1997, pp. 976-77; Pazaurek 1925, p. 390.)

Stenglein, Johann Eberhard

(b. unknown—d. probably Ansbach c. 1803)

Painter, figures, landscapes. Possibly apprenticed at Ansbach; worked in Paris. Employed at Ludwigsburg c. 1760-65. Probably arrived Ansbach c. 1765, remaining until 1795. Drawing teacher in Ansbach 1795. Two sons also painters at Ansbach: Leonhardt Gottfried Stenglein at Ludwigsburg before 1787, Ansbach 1787-early nineteenth century, Bernhard Gottfried Stenglein active at Ansbach probably late 1780s-1805/7, Ludwigsburg 1808 working on technical improvements. (Bayer 1959, p. 201; Flach 1997, pp. 977-78; Flach 2005c, pp. 47, 226.)

Stoll, Johann Wilhelm

(b. probably 1752, unknown—d. Ludwigsburg 1787)

Painter, landscapes, birds, portraits. Worked at Ludwigsburg 1774-87. (Flach 2005c, p. 226.)

Vogelmann, Albrecht

(b. unknown—d. unknown)

Painter, flowers, landscapes; Obermaler. Training unknown. Arrived at Ludwigsburg, 1782, listed as Obermaler 1787. (Flach 1997, p. 988; Flach 2005c, pp. 19, 64, 226.)

Walcher, Albrecht Joseph Christian Wilhelm

(b. 1765 unknown—d. unknown 1844)

Painter, flowers; Obermaler, Hausmaler, art instructor (Zeichenlehrer.) Trained at Ludwigsburg. Worked at Ludwigsburg 1779-1825 (retirement). Art instructor to Queen Charlotte Augusta Matilda (1766-1828) for many years; possibly Hausmaler after 1825. (Flach 1997, pp. 991-94; Flach 2005c, p. 227.)

Weinmüller, Joseph Anton

(b. 1743, possibly Aitring—d. Augsburg c. 1812)

Sculptor, modeler. Studied in Munich. Modeler at Ludwigsburg 1765-67. Subsequently worked as a sculptor in numerous places including Vienna, Augsburg, and the church of Vierzehnheiligen in Bavaria. (Flach 1997, pp. 1002-1003.)

Go to top