Anton Aicher

Anton Aicher ( born April 5, 1859 in Reiting in box Bach, Styria, † February 5, 1930 in Salzburg ) was an Austrian sculptor and founder of the Salzburg Marionette Theatre.

Background and education

Anton Aicher was the illegitimate son of Nothburga Eicher in the small Styrian village Reiting to the world. A local landowner realized early his talent and sent him to the Graz sculptor Jacob Gschiel into teaching. From 1881 he studied as a student of Edmund Hellmer and Kaspar von Zumbusch at the Vienna Academy. During this time, the art student Aicher in the Vienna Prater got to know the world of puppetry, which he dedicated himself later. After completing his studies recommended him Hellmer and Zumbusch 1884 as a teacher at the Imperial State Trade School in Salzburg. In 1885 he married the landlord 's daughter Rosina German from Graz ( † 1929), who bore him two sons, Charles and Hermann ( 1904-1977 ).

Artistic creation

Anton Aicher made ​​a name for himself off his bread profession initially as a sculptor. He created excellent, partly rococo carvings and sculptures, including Mozart at the Spinet ( Mozart Museum ), still Dr. Petter (Salzburger Museum Carolino Augusteum ), Epitaph Dr. Bekk ( Study Building Salzburg), and a bust of Dr. Protect Huber and the Crucifixion in Gibelfeld of the new mortuary in Salzburg municipal cemetery. Only after his retirement in 1912, he remembered his long-cherished desire to start their own puppet theater and took to instructions at the Munich doll artist Leonhard Schmid.

Founded the artists' puppet theater

In a carnival event of the Salzburg artist cooperative " Grail" led Aicher in February 1913 for the first time in public with his hand-carved puppets, the shepherd piece Bastien and Bastienne by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart on. For additional repertoire in the early days of the then "Artist puppet theater" included not only the fairy tale puppet plays games of the Munich court musicians Franz Graf Pocci, the popular pieces by Hans Demel and small operas and musical comedies such as Doctor Faust. Played spoken and set to music, the program was then principally through the family Anton Aicher themselves and from sideline participating Salzburg teachers, professors and Mozarteum students. The premiere was such a great success that Anton Aicher still was able to move towards the end of the year with his debut artist puppet theater in the gymnasium of the old Borromäums, which should remain until 1962 Venue of the theater. One of his most famous characters was created themselves, kind of melancholy and mischievous puppet Larifari.

1919 Aicher lost his elder son Charles, who died from the effects of, suffered during the First World War injury. The younger son, Hermann finished his art studies in Vienna and married on June 7, 1926, the soprano Elfriede Eschenlohr. On the occasion of this ceremony rendered Anton Aicher, standing in the age of 67, his son as a wedding present head of the Salzburg Marionette Theatre. Anton Aicher died on 5 February 1930 and was buried at Salzburg municipal cemetery.

Honors and successor

The Republic of Austria honored Anton Aicher 1927 with the awarding of the Golden Merit of the Republic, the city of Salzburg left him in 1947 posthumously bestowed on in recognition of his contributions to the founding of the Salzburg Marionette Theatre, with the naming of the Aicher path in Parsch district of its findings.

The Salzburg Marionette Theatre was continued until 1977 by Hermann Aicher and expanded to become a world-renowned institution. After the death of Hermann Aicher took over in 1977 his daughter, Margaret Aicher ( born 1928 ), until her death in 2012 the line.

Works (excerpt)

  • Statuette Salzburg Wehrmann, tin bronze, 1915, 6.5 x 6 x 24.5 cm; Signed: " A. Aicher ," bez " SALZBURG WEHRMANN EMPEROR CHARLEMAGNE 1915 ."; Military History Museum, Vienna

Pictures of Anton Aicher

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