Johann Balthasar Bullinger

Johann Balthasar Bullinger the Elder ( born November 30, 1713 Langnau am Albis, † March 31, 1793 in Zurich ) was a Swiss landscape and portrait painter, engraver and from 1773 professor at the newly founded " Art School Zurich ».

Life

Johann Balthasar Bullinger was born in humble circumstances, the son of the pastor Heinrich Bullinger, who died shortly after the birth of his second son. For Bullinger's ancestors who officiated as Reformed pastor, is one of the reformer Heinrich Bullinger. His older brother was also a priest, and so Johann Balthasar Bullinger was allowed to pursue his artistic talent: Already during his school years he was enthusiastic about the paintings and etchings. After his apprenticeship and journeyman years in 1742 he made the acquaintance of Stephan Elisabetha, daughter of Susanna Orell and the businessman Hans Balthasar; The wedding ceremony took place in August 1743 God loves. Together they had seven children, of whom only three survived infancy. Bullinger earned his livelihood independently and was a conscientious businessman, as his records can be seen. After 1771 Bullinger, he focused on teaching, initially at the orphanage Zurich. 1773 he was appointed professor at the newly founded " Art School Zurich » and taught until his death perspective, architecture, geometry and mechanics. Among his pupils was Hans Conrad Escher von der Linth, the builder of the Linth channel.

Work

Received its first instruction Johann Balthasar Bullinger Johann Melchior Füssli, and after a two-year probationary period began his apprenticeship as a painter and engraver in John Simler. In possession of a letter of recommendation, he traveled to Venice, visited the eraser and art connoisseur Anton Maria Zanetti, who introduced her to Bullinger Giovanni Battista Tiepolo. In his studio Bullinger worked from 1732 to 1735, and to his teaching pieces included, among others, works by Paolo Veronese.

Back in Zurich, Bullinger was inducted into the guild zur Meisen, felt professionally but still too inexperienced and led his wandering years continued: On the estate of the Vigier family, he painted in 1736 his first landscape paintings, in 1737 he reached over Biel to Neuchatel, where he worked as a portraitist. In 1738 he moved to Bern Basel, learned the cities on the Rhine know and came to Dusseldorf. In the summer of 1738 he reached Amsterdam, where Bullinger worked for three more years and with the sale of his work soon earned so much that he could be a collection of drawings and engravings to create. Here he met the then popular in middle-class houses wallpapers paintings - painted in oil on canvas coverings - know. A serious illness forced Bullinger, abandon plans for a trip to England, and in 1741 he returned to Switzerland.

Shortly after his arrival in Zurich Bullinger received the first order for a wallpaper painting. Soon followed by orders for landscape paintings and painted canvas coverings ( Imitation tapestries ) with which the Zurich merchants and magistrates families could decorate their premises representative; a total of six landscape rooms, some of which have been preserved. This includes his most important work for the " House of Stilts " at Neumarkt (now in the living museum Bärengasse ), which he signed as a single and dated (1755 ). Täfermalereien with landscape paintings he created the entire " house for black cross " at the Torgasse and in the Guildhall zur Meisen ( 1765 ). Bullinger wrote in his biography: " the country managed in vogue at that time were to Zurich Wormit whole room were shod. "

His autobiography and the complete, hand drawn catalog of works document his client and the landscape room created by him. Sketches of Swiss history and topographical drawings, particularly of landscapes in the canton of Zurich and some paintings are exhibited at the Kunsthaus Zurich. They represent rural and idyllic scenes, sometimes chose Bullinger mythological or social issues. A typical stylistic feature are moved by the wind bushes and trees. Bullinger provided the backs of his works often with a number of his signature and the date. His numerous portraits of Zurich citizens are mostly privately owned, individual also at the Kunsthaus Zurich, including his Self-Portrait ( 1768). On behalf of the guilds made ​​to Bullinger Coat of Arms boards, guild signs and pedigrees, but also for cracks stove tiles and fabric samples belonged to his versatile plant. Bullinger's preference was for since his formative years of the etching: His work has appeared regularly as illustrations in the New Year leaves or used as title and vignettes in catalogs. Already in 1756 he published a collection of 50 landscapes; In 1770 he designed the band " drawn hundreds Schweitzer Prospecte from nature and placed in copper " is considered the twelve Zurich views as outstanding works, and in 1781 was a series of castles. Bullinger's landscape paintings are often based on models from the Dutch school of the 16th and 17th centuries, especially in January Hackaert and motives of the Winterthur painter Felix Meyer.

Gallery

Imaginative representation of Zurich around the year 15 BC In the center of the Roman circular temple is ( Grosser Hafner ) to recognize, at the Lindenhof, a watchtower. New Year's Journal of the Public Library, in 1773.

Water Church, 1770

Frogs ditch and Rennwegbollwerk

Grain house ( Zurich ), 1770

Castles Strahlegg and Castel in Prättigau. Engraved by Bullinger and Henry Fuseli (1755-1829)