Ernst von Bandel
Ernst von Bandel | |
---|---|
Born | |
Died | 25 September 1876 Neudegg, German Empire | (aged 76)
Nationality | German |
Occupation(s) | sculptor, architect, painter |
Notable work | Hermannsdenkmal |
Joseph Ernst von Bandel (17 May 1800, Ansbach – 25 September 1876, Neudegg, near Donauwörth) was a German architect, sculptor and painter. He is best known for his 38 years of work on the monumental Hermannsdenkmal near Detmold, honoring Arminius' victory over Roman troops in 9 AD.
Early life
Ernst Bandel was born on 17 May 1800 at
His father's death in 1818 and the resulting financial stress almost forced him to give up his interest in art, but through his father's connections with the royal family, he was able to arrange a generous grant from King Maximilian I. The following year, he was given a job as a draftsman at the Hofbauamt (the office responsible for the construction and maintenance of the royal buildings).
Career as an artist
In 1820, he refused a job offer as an assistant to the architect Leo von Klenze, as he was not amenable to Bandel's preference for the Gothic style. Later that year, he entered the Academy of Fine Arts, Munich, first as a painter but soon switched to sculpting. There, he studied under Moritz Kellerhoven, Wilhelm von Kobell and others. In 1819/20, he first worked on drafts for a statue of Arminius.[2]: 40
In 1822/23, Bandel was at Nuremberg, working on completing the figures on the Gothic Schöner Brunnen While there, he met Karoline von Kohlhagen, whom he married in 1827. They were to have a total of seven children (five sons, two daughters).[2]: 40
With a final stipendium from the king, he was able to study and work in Italy from 1825 to 1827.
Maximilian's successor,
Bandel found himself receiving little support or understanding from the new king, so he moved to Berlin in 1834, following his former employer, Rauch, who was working on a huge
The Hermannsdenkmal
From 1837 to 1846, he lived in Detmold, working on the Hermannsdenkmal, which had been a lifelong dream of Bandel's. It commemorates a victory over three Roman Legions by the Cheruscian prince, Arminius (Hermann, in German), in 9 AD.[3]
In 1838, Bandel again travelled to Italy, meeting Ludwig I en route, who offered financial support to the Hermannsdenkmal, but requested some changes. At Carrara, Bandel worked on a statue of Thusnelda, wife of Arminius, eventually sold to the Prince of Lippe. Another trip to Italy followed in 1843/44.[2]: 50, 55
After a great deal of initial support for the project, public interest began to wane and donations decreased dramatically. Bandel had to use up his entire personal fortune in an effort to complete the monument.
However, Bandel had been weakened by the years of work on the exposed hilltop and by kidney disease. He opened a studio in Hanover and in 1876 went on another trip to Italy. He died on the return trip at his half-brother's estate at Neudegg near Donauwörth on 25 September 1876.[2]: 64 He is buried at the Stadtfriedhof Engesohde at Hanover.
References
- ^ a b c d e Hyacinth Holland (1902), "Bandel, Ernst von", Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie (in German), vol. 46, Leipzig: Duncker & Humblot, pp. 202–203
- ^ ISBN 978-3-932610-39-4.
- ^ a b c Margarete Braun-Ronsdorf (1953), "Bandel, Ernst Joseph von", Neue Deutsche Biographie (in German), vol. 1, Berlin: Duncker & Humblot, pp. 574–574; (full text online)
Further reading
- Brigitte Bötel: Joseph Ernst von Bandel (1800–1876). Das bildhauerische Werk. Dissertation. University of Göttingen 1984
- Rose Hellfaier: Ernst von Bandel an Wilhelm Tegeler. Briefe zur Entstehungsgeschichte des Hermannsdenkmals 1850–1864. Lippische Landesbibliothek (LLB), Detmold 1975
- Burkhard Meier: Das Hermannsdenkmal und Ernst von Bandel. Zum zweihundertsten Geburtstag des Erbauers. Topp+Möller, Detmold 2000, ISBN 3-9806101-7-9.
- Hermann Schmidt: Ernst von Bandel. Ein deutscher Mann und Künstler. Meyer, Hanover 1892. (Digitalized @ LLB)
- Hermann Schmidt: Ernst von Bandel und das Hermanns-Denkmal. Hanover 1893. (Digitalized @ LLB)
- Anonymous: Ernst von Bandel, 1800–1876, Bildhauer in Hannover. Beiheft zur Ausstellung Ernst von Bandel, das Hermannsdenkmal und andere Arbeiten. Historisches Museum Hannover 1976.
External links
- Works by or about Ernst von Bandel at Internet Archive
- Hermannsdenkmal @ German Wikisource
- Literature by and about Ernst von Bandel in the German National Library catalogue