Philipp Grot Johann
Encyclopedia
Philipp Grot Johann (born June 27, 1841 Stettin (Szczecin)
; died October 26, 1892 Düsseldorf
) was one of the most prominent German illustrators of his time. He illustrated numerous editions of world-class literature but is probably best known for his illustrations of Grimm's Fairy Tales
.
; he spent his apprenticeship
at AG Vulcan Stettin where he continued to work as a journeyman
. In 1861 he took up studies in engineering at the Polytechnikum
in Hannover where he discovered his vocation for artistry. Among his first works were illustrations of old German writings at Wartburg
castle.
With the support of Peter von Cornelius
, he moved to Düsseldorf
in 1862 and studied first under Karl Ferdinand Sohn
, then under Karl Lasch. With the exception of the year 1867 which he spent in Antwerp, Grot Johann remained in Düsseldorf for the rest of his life. He provided the graphics for opulent editions of the works of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
and Friedrich Schiller
that were published by the Grot'sche Verlagsbuchhandlung in Berlin
, and also for works by William Shakespeare
and Walter Scott
.
In spite of these prestigious commissions, and his extensive more commercially oriented work in graphic design
, Grot Johann considered his illustrations of Grimm's Fairy Tales a central part of his opus. Some of these illustrations are mildly humorous, such as the one in The Devil With the Three Golden Hairs
where the devil is pictured reading a newspaper which, on closer examination, is a stock market letter. When death claimed him at only 51 years, Robert Leinweber succeeded him as an illustrator for the later editions of Grimm's Fairy Tales.
Grot Johann's major works outside the illustration business include the stained glass
images from the Old and New Testament in St. Peter's church at Leipzig
(1884–1886; together with Eduard von Gebhardt
and Carl Hertel).
Szczecin
Szczecin , is the capital city of the West Pomeranian Voivodeship in Poland. It is the country's seventh-largest city and the largest seaport in Poland on the Baltic Sea. As of June 2009 the population was 406,427....
; died October 26, 1892 Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf is the capital city of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and centre of the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region.Düsseldorf is an important international business and financial centre and renowned for its fashion and trade fairs. Located centrally within the European Megalopolis, the...
) was one of the most prominent German illustrators of his time. He illustrated numerous editions of world-class literature but is probably best known for his illustrations of Grimm's Fairy Tales
Grimm's Fairy Tales
Children's and Household Tales is a collection of German origin fairy tales first published in 1812 by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, the Brothers Grimm. The collection is commonly known today as Grimms' Fairy Tales .-Composition:...
.
Career and works
Grot Johann initially pursued a career in engineeringEngineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
; he spent his apprenticeship
Apprenticeship
Apprenticeship is a system of training a new generation of practitioners of a skill. Apprentices or protégés build their careers from apprenticeships...
at AG Vulcan Stettin where he continued to work as a journeyman
Journeyman
A journeyman is someone who completed an apprenticeship and was fully educated in a trade or craft, but not yet a master. To become a master, a journeyman had to submit a master work piece to a guild for evaluation and be admitted to the guild as a master....
. In 1861 he took up studies in engineering at the Polytechnikum
Institute of technology
Institute of technology is a designation employed in a wide range of learning institutions awarding different types of degrees and operating often at variable levels of the educational system...
in Hannover where he discovered his vocation for artistry. Among his first works were illustrations of old German writings at Wartburg
Wartburg
The Wartburg is a castle overlooking the town of Eisenach, Germany.Wartburg may also refer to:* Wartburgkreis, a district in Germany named after the Wartburg* Wartburg , former East German brand of automobiles, manufactured in Eisenach...
castle.
With the support of Peter von Cornelius
Peter von Cornelius
Peter von Cornelius was a German painter.Cornelius was born in Düsseldorf.His father, who was inspector of the Düsseldorf gallery, died in 1799, and the young Cornelius was stimulated to extraordinary exertions...
, he moved to Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf is the capital city of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and centre of the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region.Düsseldorf is an important international business and financial centre and renowned for its fashion and trade fairs. Located centrally within the European Megalopolis, the...
in 1862 and studied first under Karl Ferdinand Sohn
Karl Ferdinand Sohn
Karl Ferdinand Sohn was a German painter of the Düsseldorf school.He was born in Berlin and studied there under Wilhelm von Schadow, whom he followed to Düsseldorf. He treated principally mythical and poetic subjects of a highly romantic character, and painted in the mechanically idealistic manner...
, then under Karl Lasch. With the exception of the year 1867 which he spent in Antwerp, Grot Johann remained in Düsseldorf for the rest of his life. He provided the graphics for opulent editions of the works of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe was a German writer, pictorial artist, biologist, theoretical physicist, and polymath. He is considered the supreme genius of modern German literature. His works span the fields of poetry, drama, prose, philosophy, and science. His Faust has been called the greatest long...
and Friedrich Schiller
Friedrich Schiller
Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller was a German poet, philosopher, historian, and playwright. During the last seventeen years of his life , Schiller struck up a productive, if complicated, friendship with already famous and influential Johann Wolfgang von Goethe...
that were published by the Grot'sche Verlagsbuchhandlung in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, and also for works by William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
and Walter Scott
Walter Scott
Sir Walter Scott, 1st Baronet was a Scottish historical novelist, playwright, and poet, popular throughout much of the world during his time....
.
In spite of these prestigious commissions, and his extensive more commercially oriented work in graphic design
Graphic design
Graphic design is a creative process – most often involving a client and a designer and usually completed in conjunction with producers of form – undertaken in order to convey a specific message to a targeted audience...
, Grot Johann considered his illustrations of Grimm's Fairy Tales a central part of his opus. Some of these illustrations are mildly humorous, such as the one in The Devil With the Three Golden Hairs
The Devil With the Three Golden Hairs
The Devil With the Three Golden Hairs is a German fairy tale collected by the Brothers Grimm, tale number 29. It falls under Aarne-Thompson classification types 461, "three hairs from the devil", and 930, "prophecy that a poor boy will marry a rich girl."...
where the devil is pictured reading a newspaper which, on closer examination, is a stock market letter. When death claimed him at only 51 years, Robert Leinweber succeeded him as an illustrator for the later editions of Grimm's Fairy Tales.
Grot Johann's major works outside the illustration business include the stained glass
Stained glass
The term stained glass can refer to coloured glass as a material or to works produced from it. Throughout its thousand-year history, the term has been applied almost exclusively to the windows of churches and other significant buildings...
images from the Old and New Testament in St. Peter's church at Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
(1884–1886; together with Eduard von Gebhardt
Eduard von Gebhardt
Franz Karl Eduard von Gebhardt was a Baltic German historical painter. He was born in Järva-Jaani, Estonia, the son of a Protestant clergyman, and studied first at the Academy of St. Petersburg . In 1860 he became the pupil of Wilhelm Sohn at Düsseldorf, where he permanently settled, and became...
and Carl Hertel).
Sources
- Grotjohann, Philipp. Brockhaus' Konversations-Lexikon. 14th ed., Leipzig, Berlin and Vienna 1894; Vol. 8, p. 480 http://www.retrobibliothek.de/retrobib/schlagwort.html?wort=Grotjohann&werk=Brockhaus
- Grimm's Märchen. Jubilee Edition, ca. 1900. p. XIII-VIV