The Black Forest (German: Schwarzwald, pronounced[ˈʃvaʁt͡svalt]) is a wooded mountain range in Baden-Württemberg, southwestern Germany. It is bordered by theRhine valley to the west and south. The highest peak is theFeldberg with an elevation of 1,493 metres (4,898 ft). The region is almost rectangular with a length of 160 km (99 mi) and breadth of up to 60 km (37 mi). Swiss “Black Forest” carving The so called Black Forest carvings are not from the Bavarian Schwarzwald in the Rhine valley, but originated in the Swiss Bernese Highland village of Brienz. The misattribution was due to the popularity in the 18th century of the heavily carved Black Forest cuckoo clocks which were produced in large quantities and were sold in nearly every world market. The Swiss carvings came to be popularly known, represented, and sold as “Black Forest”. Developing from a cottage industry, the sales of woodcarvings brought wealth to the villages remedying years of disappointing harvests, and in 1862 a rigorous formal apprentice training program was established. By the turn of the 20th century there were 1300 carvers working in Brienz. The picturesque Swiss highland villages of Brienz, Bern, Luzerne and the Interlaken resorts came into vogue with English tourists after Queen Victoria, famously traveling “incognito” as the Duchess of Kent toured in 1868, and furnished at Osborne House a “Swiss style” chalet with Black Forest carvings. The region became so well known to the English public that Sherlock Holmes met his nemesis near Brienz at the Reichenbach Falls. A 19th century English traveler rarely returned from a visit to the Swiss Highlands without a carved souvenir. Figures of bears were most popular, however the carvers produced a variety of figures, including rabbits in hunting costume, stags and eagles and a representation of the Last Supper. The skill of the carver, his inclination to whimsy or a sober outlook is reflected in the unique posture and demeanor of each carved figure. Black Forest carved wood figures Black Forest is a term used to describe the elaborate, realistic wood carvings that were thought to be made in the Black Forest region of Bavaria, Germany. In the 1980s, new research proved that many of the carvings were done in Switzerland, mostly by the Trauffer family. It is easy to identify pieces. Bears that play instruments, climb trees, hold benches or beg are part of the legs, seats and stands that make up the furniture. Each bear was carved from a linden or walnut tree trunk. Pieces were not signed. A similar type of carving that featured birds, branches and plants also was made in Switzerland. Clock cases were made to hold Swiss clock movements often marked with a company name. Collectors still call both types of carved pieces Black Forest. A carved, tall case clock recently sold for $14,000 at Neal Auction Co. in New Orleans. The clock movement was marked Hawina, a trademark of a German clock company owned by Hans Winterhalder and his family. The company was in business from the 18th century until 1937. The elaborately carved case with owls and branches is not by the carvers of the bear furniture, although it is collected as Black Forest. Although many such carvings are generically referred to as “Black Forest”., most were carved in Switzerland The centre of production is in and around the town of Brienz and the name Brienzer ware is sometimes used to describe the objects. Cuckoo clocks were made in the Black Forest area of Germany and because of this many carvings were thought to have originated from here. The confusion probably arose as there is a forest in Switzerland near to Brienze that is also called the Black Forest . In the early 19th century most of the clocks and figures, especially bears, were made for the developing tourist s who were flocking to Switzerland and Germany to see the beautiful landscapes, castles and for the skiing. To handle the growth of visitors n industry developed over the years with some large companies employing hundreds of carvers to meet the demand. There would have been some smaller scale workshops with people making the figures in workshops at home and there were some families who specialized in the making of the figures but this was rare.. While many figures were unsigned, the small makers tended to sign their work. Outstanding carvings were usually signed as they would be placed in the top echelon of the carver’s art. Ita;y: The ital;ian carvers of the Dolomite Mountains.; The Anri company, founded by Anton Riffeser in 1912 in Val Gardena, South Tyrol, Northern Italy, is world-renowned for its hand carved and hand painted figurines. Anton Riffeser named the company Anri using the first two letters of his first and last name. Anris exclusive collections are the result of the co-operation with famous master woodcarvers, artists and designers like Juan Ferràndiz, Sarah Kay, Fini Moroder, Gunther Granget, Walter Bacher, Prof. Karl Kuolt, Ulrich Bernardi, Florentiner, Rudi Kostner, who have created models especially for them. Anri figurines, Anri wood carvings, Anri wood sculptures, Anri Nativity sets are hand-carved and hand-painted, such as to become an incomparable work of art, Anri wood figurines are carved using only the best wood species such as maple, lime tree, linden wood, alpine pine, ash tree, and pear tree. Only after stringent quality controls, the Anri figures receive the quality seal. Famous artists from the Anri studios: Prof. Karl Kuolt Prof. Karl Kuolt was born on April 3rd, 1878 in Spaichingen, Germany. He was first student at the Munich school of art and then at the Munich Academy.Besides a large number of well known monuments and memorial chapels all over Southern Germany, he created countless smaller works . Our famouse crib figurines bearing his name are an example of his art. He died in Munich on November 8, 1937. Ulrich Bernardi Ulrich Bernardi was born in Ortisei 1925. Known for his designs of religious figures and cherubs, the native of the Groeden Valley, has made a life of modelling and designing. The spirit of his work is embodied in the European folklore. Simple attire and innocent expressionsare the characteristics of his work. He has romanced our famous crib in the true ageless European style. Walter Bacher Bacher was born on September 19th, 1908 in Brixen (South Tyrol). He apprendiced to a well-known sculptor at the age of 14. Then he attended two years of art school in Munich (Germany) and four additional years at the Academy of Art. His works are displayed in churches and museums both in Europe and Overseas. One of his famed works of art is the popular Bacher nativity scene, reproduced exclusively by the ANRI workshop. Juan Ferrandiz Born in Barcelona 1917, his designs and paintings hve become wourld famous within short time. The complete opus of Ferrandiz aims at creating a wolrd of love, comprehension and poetry, to unite the spirit, banish the hatred and favor peace in the world with truly honest message. His designs are beautyfully turned into wood in this magnificent crib. Josef Bachlechner Born in Bruneck (South Tyrol) in 1871, he apprenticed as a sculptor in St.Ulrich in Gardena-Italy. Then he settled in Hall in Tirol (Austria), employing about a dozen carvers and painters. For several yearshe also stayed in Rome and Munich in order to improve his abilities. Today he is considered the most famous creator or Tyrolean crib figurines in the entire Alps. Our original Bachlechner crib, carved in mountain ashwood, is a superb example. Gunther Granget Born in Karlsruhe (Germany) in 1931, Gunther Granget is considered by critics and by collectors to be one of the worlds finest animal sculptor. He was able, through the warmth and naturalness of wood, to convey to us the coherence and inter-relationship of the objects of nature which man, it semms, has lost. He created for the ANRI a series of outstanding works of art. . Diller Helmut Born in Stuttgart (Germany) in 1911, during his life Helmut Diller has amassed a wealth of experience as a portraitist, landscapist and wood sculptor. Many exhibitions in Europe and the U.S.A. have featured his works. His perfection in anatomy as well as natural poses are demonstrated in all of his creations, such as eagles, flamingos, deer, leoprads, cattle and horses. Many of his works have been chosen to represent the World Wildlife Fund. Piccolruaz Luis Luis Piccolruaz was born in St.Ulrich (Valgardena - Italy) in 1930. He attendet the local art school and later continued his studies in Brixen with the well known master sculptor, Franz Mersa. His works have been shown in exhibitions in Italy, Germany and Austria. He was commissioned by the United Nations to create the large carving Five Continents which is exhibited in Montreal (Canada). The Tyrolean Mountainer Crib created for ANRI is an outstandin example. Siegfried Moroder Siegfried Moroder was born 1911 in Ortisei - Valgardena (Italy). After attending the local Art School he continued his studies in Rome and at the Munich(Germany) Academy of fine arts. He created a great number of ecclesiastical works for churches all over Europe. His works are being shown in numerous art exhibitions. Wood Carving in Val Gardena In addition to agriculture, arts and crafts were also well developed in Val Gardena by the Middle Ages, and the craftsmen of the valley had a fine reputation for their skills and diligence. They produced thick loden clothes, turned wooden bowls, and the women later made lace as well. At the beginning of the 17th century Christian Trebinger, his brother Bartlmä, and Melchior Vinazer established a craft that is today inseparable from the name Val Gardena – wood carving. Many of them made wooden bowls and other simple utensils, while the more talented tried their hand on more artistic items, mostly statues with a religious subject. In the course of the 17th century the Val Gardena wood carvers concentrated more on works of a figural type, while some of them produced caricatures, picture frames, ornaments, animals, nativity scene figurines and children’s toys. By the 18th century Val Gardena was a major centre of wood carving, and pedlars and merchants carried the carvings and the name of Val Gardena far and wide. Of the many wood carvers in the valley, some developed into true artists, and in order to raise the general standard an art school was founded. Today wood carving is a modern industry and a genuine craft at the same time, producing individual, varied and authentic specimens of the art.
Posted on: Fri, 31 Oct 2014 16:57:07 +0000
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