Hermann Nonnenmacher (1892–1988) was a sculptor, painter and teacher, born in Coburg, Germany, who later lived in London.
Hermann Nonnenmacher | |
|---|---|
| Born | 3 June 1892 Coburg, Germany |
| Died | August 1988 (aged 96) London, UK |
| Education | Dresden Academy of Fine Arts |
| Known for | Sculpture |
| Notable work | Abschied (1928), Berlinische Galerie |
| Movement | Modernist |
| Awards | German Federal Cross of Merit 1982 |
Biography edit
Nonnenmacher served in the German Army during World War I and sustained some hearing loss. He studied at the Dresden Academy of Fine Arts, and was a member of the Association of German Artists.[1]
In 1919 he married the sculptor Erna Rosenberg (1889-1980).[2] They lived and worked in Berlin at Potsdamer Str. 29, the former studio of Lyonel Feininger.[3][4]
Before the rise of Nazism, Nonnenmacher was a well-known sculptor whose works adorned many public buildings in Germany.[5] The prominent Berlin-born Australian sculptor, Inge King studied under Nonnenmacher during 1936-1937 in preparation for her entry to the Berlin Academy of Arts.[6] Hermann and Erna's sculptures was classified as Degenerate art by the Nazis, and much of their public works were destroyed.[7] Erna was persecuted as a Jew and they emigrated to London in 1938.
During World War II Hermann and Erna were interned on the Isle of Man, where Hermann continued to make and exhibit artwork.[8][9][7][10] After the war they set up a studio in a house off Archway Road, London.[5]
From 1949 to 1970 Nonnenmacher taught modelling and pottery at Morley College.[4] In 1982 Hermann Nonnenmacher was awarded the German Federal Cross of Merit by the West German government.
Nonnenmacher died in London in August 1988.
Exhibitions and commissions edit
Public collections edit
- Nonnenmacher's 1928 sculpture "Abschied" (Farewell) is on display in the Berlinische Galerie Berlin.[11]
Solo and two-person exhibitions edit
- Geffrye Museum[4]
- Heal's Mansard Gallery[4]
- Barclay Gallery, London (1953) Terra Cotta and Pottery Figurines by Audrey Blackman. Wood carvings by H. Nonnenmacher[12]
- King's College, London (1973) Retrospective exhibition Hermann Nonnenmacher sculptures and drawings[13]
Group exhibitions edit
- Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts Annual Exhibition, six times during 1940-1954[14]
- Lambeth Palace great hall, Modern Church Art (1951). Nonnenmacher exhibited a statue of Job.[15]
- Royal Academy of Arts, London[4]
- Leicester Galleries, London[4]
- Royal British Society of Sculptors[4]
- Camden Arts Centre Art in Exile in Great Britain 1933-45 (1968)[4]
Commissions edit
Nonnenmacher was awarded several commissions for public sculpture in Germany before the rise of Nazism. Most or all of this work was destroyed.[5] Public commissions in England included sculpture for:
- Church of St. John, Waterloo, London[4]
- Boulton & Paul Ltd, Norwich[4]
- Merton College, Oxford[4]
- Chapel of King's College London, two carved wooden sculptures[16]
References edit
- ^ www.artbiogs.co.uk
- ^ "Erna Nonnenmacher - Maternity". Ben Uri, The London Jewish Museum of Art. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 8 February 2014.
- ^ Auction Notes for Erna
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k David Buckman (1998). Artists in Britain Since 1945 Vol 2, M to Z. Art Dictionaries Ltd. ISBN 0-95326-095-X.
- ^ a b c YEALM: A biography of Charles Lahr by Sheila Lahr
- ^ Ingeborg (Inge) Neufeld', Mapping the Practice and Profession of Sculpture in Britain and Ireland 1851-1951, University of Glasgow History of Art and HATII, online database 2011 accessed 08 Feb 2014
- ^ a b Sacha Llewellyn & Paul Liss (2016). WWII War Pictures by British Artists. Liss Llewellyn Fine Art. ISBN 978-0-9930884-2-1.
- ^ Cesarani, David; Kushner, Tony (1993). The Internment of Aliens in Twentieth Century Britain. Abingdon, UK: Routledge. ISBN 978-0714640952.
- ^ Dickson, Rachel. "The eye and the mouthpiece of our thoughts and ideas". Abstracts for "Creativity Behind Barbed Wire" conference 2010. Archived from the original on 6 September 2014. Retrieved 10 February 2014.
- ^ Carr, Gilly; Mytum, Harold (2012). Cultural Heritage and Prisoners of War. Routledge.
- ^ "Friederike von Born-Fallois, visitors' service". Berlinische Galerie. Retrieved 2 April 2017.
- ^ "Entertainments Guide". The Observer. 20 December 1956. p. 6.
- ^ "Entertainments Guide". The Guardian. 1 October 1973. p. 9.
- ^ "Hermann Nonnenmacher". Mapping the Practice and Profession of Sculpture in Britain and Ireland 1851-1951. University of Glasgow. Retrieved 8 February 2014.
- ^ "Modern Church Art". The Manchester Guardian. 2 June 1951. p. 3.
- ^ A brief history of Chapel - King's College London