Erwin Aichele
Encyclopedia
Erwin Aichele was a German painter and animal artist from Baden-Wurttemberg
in Southern Germany
.
His life and work was the subject of a 1988 monograph, Der Tiermaler Erwin Aichele by Hans Schöner
, where he was taught by the celebrated animal artist Heinrich von Zugel.
In 1911, Aichele passed his art teaching diploma and started work at the jewelry school in Pforzheim
, Southern Germany.
Most of his surviving war drawings were executed in 1916 when, as part of the Third Battery FAR 185, he was stationed in Liry
in Champagne
.
In June 1916, the troops moved to northern France.
Aichele’s drawings depict places such as Achery
, Doingt
, Laon
, Vraignes, Soissons
. On each drawing he made a precise note of place, time and subject. His preferred media included pencil, ink, charcoal and coloured pastels.
His drawings are executed with considerable skill in the tradition of the nineteenth century. They depict daily life: military convoys, soldiers’ billets and views of villages, as well as ruins and landscapes.
Although he witnessed the horrors of war, little of this appears in his drawings. They are dispassionate and betray no feelings of hate, horror or despair.
Aichele’s last drawing in France is dated May 1918, shortly before a wound and nervous breakdown caused him to collapse into a coma. He was transferred to a military hospital in Polzen, Pomerania
, and started drawing again during his convalescence. He returned home on the signature of the armistice.
He worked in various media, including watercolours, oils, charcoal and pen and ink.
In 1934, Aichele was put in charge of the animal drawing class at the State Academy of Fine Arts Karlsruhe. He was professor of the academy between 1936 and 1944.
In 1940, Aichele left the Pforzheim jewelry school in order to teach at the town’s School of Decorative Arts. His work was interrupted in the last years of the war when he was drafted into the Volksturm or Home Guard.
He avoided joining the Nazi Party for the duration of the Third Reich.
He continued to teach at the Institute of Decorative Art until 1952; he was director of the institute for some of this time.
In the 1950s, he increasingly turned towards abstraction, though still using animals as his models. These paintings, mostly watercolours, remain his most celebrated works.
The house had an adjoining atelier and animal enclosures. These allowed Aichele to keep all sorts of animals, which were to play an essential role in his life and work.
, (the Glass Palace in Munich). Afterwards, he took part in many other group shows. His work was also displayed in solo exhibitions, especially in southern Germany, where he was particularly appreciated.
In 1955, his work was exhibited in Paris
for the first time.
In 1988, the Society of Fine Art in Pforzheim honoured him with a retrospective: to mark the occasion, the publishing house, Hans Schöner, published a monograph with reproductions of his works.
In 2009, an exhibition in southern Germany brought together the works of Erwin Aichele, his son, Wolfram Aichele
and six of his artist grandchildren, Matthias Diebold, Nikolaus Diebold, Fridolin Diebold, Irmgard Jeserick, Benedikt Aichele and Alexandra Milton
.
, Wolfram:The Boy Who Went to War , is an account of the Eutingen childhood and adolescent war years of Erwin Aichele’s second son, the artist Wolfram Aichele
.
It includes material about Erwin Aichele’s life before and during the Third Reich.
Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg is one of the 16 states of Germany. Baden-Württemberg is in the southwestern part of the country to the east of the Upper Rhine, and is the third largest in both area and population of Germany's sixteen states, with an area of and 10.7 million inhabitants...
in Southern Germany
Southern Germany
The term Southern Germany is used to describe a region in the south of Germany. There is no specific boundary to the region, but it usually includes all of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg, and the southern part of Hesse...
.
His life and work was the subject of a 1988 monograph, Der Tiermaler Erwin Aichele by Hans Schöner
Early years
Erwin Aichele studied fine art at the State Academy of Fine Arts Karlsruhe. He continued his studies in the Academy of Fine Arts, MunichAcademy of Fine Arts, Munich
The Academy of Fine Arts, Munich was founded 1808 by Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria in Munich as the "Royal Academy of Fine Arts" and is one of the oldest and most significant art academies in Germany...
, where he was taught by the celebrated animal artist Heinrich von Zugel.
In 1911, Aichele passed his art teaching diploma and started work at the jewelry school in Pforzheim
Pforzheim
Pforzheim is a town of nearly 119,000 inhabitants in the state of Baden-Württemberg, southwest Germany at the gate to the Black Forest. It is world-famous for its jewelry and watch-making industry. Until 1565 it was the home to the Margraves of Baden. Because of that it gained the nickname...
, Southern Germany.
War Years
In 1915, Erwin Aichele joined the army and sent to France as part of a communications team. His talent in draughtsmanship quickly came to the notice of his commanding officer and he was given the official function of war artist.Most of his surviving war drawings were executed in 1916 when, as part of the Third Battery FAR 185, he was stationed in Liry
Liry
Liry is a commune in the Ardennes department in northern France.-Population:...
in Champagne
Champagne-Ardenne
Champagne-Ardenne is one of the 27 regions of France. It is located in the northeast of the country, bordering Belgium, and consists of four departments: Aube, Ardennes, Haute-Marne, and Marne. The region is famous for its sparkling white wine . Its rivers, most of which flow west, include the...
.
In June 1916, the troops moved to northern France.
Aichele’s drawings depict places such as Achery
Achery, Aisne
Achery is a commune in the department of Aisne in Picardy in northern France.-Population:...
, Doingt
Doingt
Doingt is a commune in the Somme department in Picardie in northern France.-Geography:Doingt is situated on the D937 and D199 junction, on the banks of the river Somme, some east of Amiens.-History:...
, Laon
Laon
Laon is the capital city of the Aisne department in Picardy in northern France.-History:The hilly district of Laon, which rises a hundred metres above the otherwise flat Picardy plain, has always held strategic importance...
, Vraignes, Soissons
Soissons
Soissons is a commune in the Aisne department in Picardy in northern France, located on the Aisne River, about northeast of Paris. It is one of the most ancient towns of France, and is probably the ancient capital of the Suessiones...
. On each drawing he made a precise note of place, time and subject. His preferred media included pencil, ink, charcoal and coloured pastels.
His drawings are executed with considerable skill in the tradition of the nineteenth century. They depict daily life: military convoys, soldiers’ billets and views of villages, as well as ruins and landscapes.
Although he witnessed the horrors of war, little of this appears in his drawings. They are dispassionate and betray no feelings of hate, horror or despair.
Aichele’s last drawing in France is dated May 1918, shortly before a wound and nervous breakdown caused him to collapse into a coma. He was transferred to a military hospital in Polzen, Pomerania
Pomerania
Pomerania is a historical region on the south shore of the Baltic Sea. Divided between Germany and Poland, it stretches roughly from the Recknitz River near Stralsund in the West, via the Oder River delta near Szczecin, to the mouth of the Vistula River near Gdańsk in the East...
, and started drawing again during his convalescence. He returned home on the signature of the armistice.
Animal Artist and Teacher
In the aftermath of the war, Erwin Aichele resumed his teaching activities at Pforzheim’s jewelry school. He also began painting again, focusing on wildlife and the semi-domesticated animals he reared.He worked in various media, including watercolours, oils, charcoal and pen and ink.
In 1934, Aichele was put in charge of the animal drawing class at the State Academy of Fine Arts Karlsruhe. He was professor of the academy between 1936 and 1944.
In 1940, Aichele left the Pforzheim jewelry school in order to teach at the town’s School of Decorative Arts. His work was interrupted in the last years of the war when he was drafted into the Volksturm or Home Guard.
He avoided joining the Nazi Party for the duration of the Third Reich.
He continued to teach at the Institute of Decorative Art until 1952; he was director of the institute for some of this time.
In the 1950s, he increasingly turned towards abstraction, though still using animals as his models. These paintings, mostly watercolours, remain his most celebrated works.
The Aichele Home and Workshop
In 1931, Erwin, his wife, Marie Charlotte, and three children moved into their new home in the kuenstlerkolonie (artists colony) in the village of Eutingen, near Pforzheim.The house had an adjoining atelier and animal enclosures. These allowed Aichele to keep all sorts of animals, which were to play an essential role in his life and work.
Exhibitions
In 1921, he participated for the first time in an exhibition at the celebrated Glaspalast (Munich)Glaspalast (Munich)
The Glaspalast was a glass and iron exhibition building in Munich modeled after The Crystal Palace in London. The Glaspalast opened for the Erste Allgemeine Deutsche Industrieausstellung on July 15, 1854.-Construction:The Glaspalast was ordered by Maximilian II, King of Bavaria, built by MAN AG...
, (the Glass Palace in Munich). Afterwards, he took part in many other group shows. His work was also displayed in solo exhibitions, especially in southern Germany, where he was particularly appreciated.
In 1955, his work was exhibited in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
for the first time.
Honours
In 1974, Erwin Aichele was made honorary citizen of Eutingen. The principal road in the kuenstlerkolonie was renamed Erwin-Aichele-Strasse.In 1988, the Society of Fine Art in Pforzheim honoured him with a retrospective: to mark the occasion, the publishing house, Hans Schöner, published a monograph with reproductions of his works.
In 2009, an exhibition in southern Germany brought together the works of Erwin Aichele, his son, Wolfram Aichele
Wolfram Aichele
Wolfram Aïchele - known as Wolfram - is an internationally acclaimed artist from Baden-Wurttemberg in Southern Germany....
and six of his artist grandchildren, Matthias Diebold, Nikolaus Diebold, Fridolin Diebold, Irmgard Jeserick, Benedikt Aichele and Alexandra Milton
Alexandra Milton
Alexandra Milton is an artist and illustrator. She works primarily in collage.The artwork in her debut children’s book, Call Me Gorgeous, was nominated for the 2010 Kate Greenaway Medal....
.
Biography
A forthcoming book by British author, Giles MiltonGiles Milton
Giles Milton is a writer who specialises in the history of exploration. His books have been published in seventeen languages worldwide and are international best-sellers...
, Wolfram:The Boy Who Went to War , is an account of the Eutingen childhood and adolescent war years of Erwin Aichele’s second son, the artist Wolfram Aichele
Wolfram Aichele
Wolfram Aïchele - known as Wolfram - is an internationally acclaimed artist from Baden-Wurttemberg in Southern Germany....
.
It includes material about Erwin Aichele’s life before and during the Third Reich.