Grand-Ducal Saxon Art School, Weimar


The Grand-Ducal Saxon Art School, Weimar was founded on 1 October 1860, in Weimar, Germany, by a decree of Charles Alexander, Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach. It existed until 1910, when it merged with several other art schools to become the Großherzoglich Sächsische Hochschule für Bildende Kunst. It should not be confused with the Weimar Princely Free Drawing School, which existed from 1776 to 1930 and, after 1860, served as a preparatory school.

History

From 1870 to 1900, the students and teachers of the school turned away from the academic tradition of idealized compositions. Inspired by the Barbizon School, they went directly to nature for their inspiration, in genre as well as landscape painting. This approach set the school apart and attracted attention throughout Europe.

Grand-Ducal Saxon School for Fine Arts, Weimar

In 1910, William Ernest, Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, in cooperation with Hans Olde, Adolf Brütt and Henry van de Velde, joined the three schools to create the Großherzoglich Sächsische Hochschule für Bildende Kunst, headed by Fritz Mackensen.

Building

The Art Nouveau art school building, designed by Henry van de Velde, was built between 1904 and 1911. Of particular note in the building's interior are the Oberlichtsaal, the elliptical staircase and the statue of Eve by Auguste Rodin. From 1919-1925 this building, and the neighbouring former Grand-Ducal Saxon School of Arts and Crafts building, also designed by van de Velde, were used by the Bauhaus art school, which was founded by Walter Gropius.
In 1996 both van de Velde buildings on the site, which are now used by the Bauhaus University Weimar, were included as part of the Bauhaus and its Sites in Weimar, Dessau and Bernau World Heritage site.

Associated people

Directors and lecturers

By date of appointment.
NameLifeClassTeacher Director PupilsNotes
Stanislaus von Kalckreuth1820–18941860–1876
Alexander Michelis1823–18881863–1868
Arnold Böcklin1827–19011860–1862
Arthur von Ramberg1819–18751860–1866
Carl Hummel1821-1907Landscape painting1860-?
Franz von Lenbach1836–19041860-?
Johann Wilhelm Cordes1824–18691860–1869
Reinhold Begas1831–19111861-
Ferdinand Pauwels1830–1904History painting1862–1872
Bernhard Plockhorst1825–1907History and portrait painting, Drawing1866–1869
Paul Thumann1834–1908Genre painting1866-?A former pupil of
F. Pauwels
Max Schmidt1818–19011868–1872
Charles Verlat1824–1890Animal painting1869-?
Karl Gussow1843–19071870
Theodor Hagen1841–1919Landscape painting18711877–1881Also taught from 1881
Albert Baur1835–19061872-
Ferdinand Schauss1832–1916Portrait and genre painting1873–1876
Franz Gustav Arndt1842-1905Landscape painting1876-?Former pupil,
ab 1879 Secretary of the School of Arts
Willem Linnig the Younger1842-1890Genre and history painting1876-?Former pupil
Alexander Struys1852-1941History painting1878-1882
Albert Heinrich Brendel1827–1895Animal painting?1882–1885
Max Thedy1858–19241883
Leopold von Kalckreuth1855–19281885–1890Former pupil,
son of Stanislaus Kalckreuth
Edgar Meyer1853-19251886-?
Hans Olde1855–19171902?-?Established the Kunstschule
as a Hochschule
Ludwig von Hofmann1861–19451903–1907Founder of the Neues Weimar movement
Gari Melchers1860–19321909–1914American
Albin Egger-Lienz1868–19261912–1913
1870–19501913–1914
Walther Klemm1883–1957Graphics1913–?

Notable students