August Endell
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August Endell (1871–1925) was a designer, writer, teacher, and German architect. He was one of the founders of the
Jugendstil ''Jugendstil'' ("Youth Style") was an artistic movement, particularly in the decorative arts, that was influential primarily in Germany and elsewhere in Europe to a lesser extent from about 1895 until about 1910. It was the German counterpart of ...
movement, the German counterpart of
Art Nouveau Art Nouveau (; ) is an international style of art, architecture, and applied art, especially the decorative arts. The style is known by different names in different languages: in German, in Italian, in Catalan, and also known as the Modern ...
. His first marriage was with
Elsa von Freytag-Loringhoven Elsa Baroness von Freytag-Loringhoven (née Else Hildegard Plötz; (12 July 1874 – 14 December 1927) was a German-born avant-garde visual artist and poet, who was active in Greenwich Village, New York, from 1913 to 1923, where her radical self ...
.


Life

August Endell was born on April 12, 1871, in Berlin. In 1892 Endell moved to
Munich Munich ( ; german: München ; bar, Minga ) is the capital and most populous city of the States of Germany, German state of Bavaria. With a population of 1,558,395 inhabitants as of 31 July 2020, it is the List of cities in Germany by popu ...
, where he gave up his dream of being a teacher and instead became a scholar. He studied aesthetics, psychology and philosophy, German literature, and art at the
University of Munich The Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (simply University of Munich or LMU; german: Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München) is a public research university in Munich, Germany. It is Germany's List of universities in Germany, sixth-oldest u ...
. He had the intention to pursue a doctorate degree in academics, but changed direction when he met
Hermann Obrist Hermann Obrist (23 May 1862 at Kilchberg (near Zürich), Switzerland – 26 February 1927, Munich, Germany) was a Swiss sculptor of the Jugendstil and Art Nouveau movement. He studied Botany and History in his youth; the influence of those s ...
, who became a close friend, and whose work was characterized by expressive ornamentation of observed submarine flora and fauna. Although influenced and encouraged by Obrist, Endell was primarily concerned with translating his idea of mobile space into architecture and decorations. Endell expressed important ideas on the stylistic intention underlying the work of Jugendstil artists at the time.Buddensieg 1983 1–389" In 1898 Endell joined the Initiative of Artistic Münchner Vereinigten Werkstätten für Kunst, and established himself as one of the innovators and leaders of the Kunstgewerbler movement. In the spring of 1900, Endell met Else Plötz (later the Baroness Elsa von Freytag-Loringhoven), then an actress and aspiring artist who took private art lessons from him.Gammel, ''Baroness Elsa'', 109. The couple was married in a civil service on August 22, 1901, in Berlin. They had an
open relationship An open relationship is an intimate relationship that is sexually non-monogamous. The term is distinct from polyamory, in that it generally indicates a relationship where there is a primary emotional and intimate relationship between two partner ...
, and in 1902 Else Endell became romantically involved with a friend of Endell’s, the
poet A poet is a person who studies and creates poetry. Poets may describe themselves as such or be described as such by others. A poet may simply be the creator ( thinker, songwriter, writer, or author) who creates (composes) poems (oral or writte ...
and
translator Translation is the communication of the Meaning (linguistic), meaning of a #Source and target languages, source-language text by means of an Dynamic and formal equivalence, equivalent #Source and target languages, target-language text. The ...
Felix Paul Greve (later the
Canadian Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...
author
Frederick Philip Grove Frederick may refer to: People * Frederick (given name), the name Nobility Anhalt-Harzgerode *Frederick, Prince of Anhalt-Harzgerode (1613–1670) Austria * Frederick I, Duke of Austria (Babenberg), Duke of Austria from 1195 to 1198 * Frederi ...
). After the trio travelled together to
Palermo Palermo ( , ; scn, Palermu , locally also or ) is a city in southern Italy, the capital (political), capital of both the autonomous area, autonomous region of Sicily and the Metropolitan City of Palermo, the city's surrounding metropolitan ...
,
Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...
, the Endells’ marriage disintegrated and the pair divorced in 1906. Although their separation was acrimonious, and Freytag-Loringhoven dedicated several satirical poems to August Endell, the relationship was influential for both artists. Endell later married sculptor Anna Meyn (1882–1967), with whom he had a child. In 1918 Endell was appointed director of the Breslau Academy of Art, in which function he served until he fell ill and died on April 13, 1925, at the age of 54.


Career

Endell is noted for many designs. In 1897 he received his first commission, an important one that made him practically famous overnight: to design the façade of the Atelier Elvira Photographic Studio in (
Munich Munich ( ; german: München ; bar, Minga ) is the capital and most populous city of the States of Germany, German state of Bavaria. With a population of 1,558,395 inhabitants as of 31 July 2020, it is the List of cities in Germany by popu ...
), which belonged to
Hermann Obrist Hermann Obrist (23 May 1862 at Kilchberg (near Zürich), Switzerland – 26 February 1927, Munich, Germany) was a Swiss sculptor of the Jugendstil and Art Nouveau movement. He studied Botany and History in his youth; the influence of those s ...
. HIs design included an abstract depiction of a dragon coming out of a wave like element. His use of curve lines implied a sense of calmness to the intricate and massive piece. Organic elements further enforced with the decoration of coral. The building incorporated elements of styles by
Antoni Gaudí Antoni Gaudí i Cornet (; ; 25 June 1852 – 10 June 1926) was a Catalan architect from Spain known as the greatest exponent of Catalan Modernism. Gaudí's works have a highly individualized, ''sui generis'' style. Most are located in Barcel ...
and
Hector Guimard Hector Guimard (, 10 March 1867 – 20 May 1942) was a French architect and designer, and a prominent figure of the Art Nouveau style. He achieved early fame with his design for the Castel Beranger, the first Art Nouveau apartment building ...
. Unfortunately the Atelier Elvira was burned to the ground during World War II. In 1899, August Endell became co editor of the magazine '' Pan'', a literary magazine that was published from 1895 to 1900 in Berlin, Germany. The magazine played a key role in the development of the
Art Nouveau Art Nouveau (; ) is an international style of art, architecture, and applied art, especially the decorative arts. The style is known by different names in different languages: in German, in Italian, in Catalan, and also known as the Modern ...
movement as a whole, printing illustrations by both well-known and young upcoming artists. . Endell published one of his own essays titled, " Um die Schönheit,” in which Endell comments on how exhibitions of art, stressed from nature is not a set of design ideal for art. Then writing that, “ … we are on the threshold of not only the new style, but also the development of a completely new art. The art of applying forms of nothing insignificant, not representing anything, and not resembling anything… running deep into our souls, so deeply and so strongly as only music can do.” Endell believed that art and style should be the power of direct impact in form on viewer’s personal feelings. His opinions of art and style were highly valued by other artists of the time such as,
Franz Stuck Franz von Stuck (February 23, 1863 – August 30, 1928), born Franz Stuck, was a German painter, sculptor, printmaker, and architect. Stuck was best known for his paintings of ancient mythology, receiving substantial critical acclaim with '' The ...
,
Lovis Corinth Lovis Corinth (21 July 1858 – 17 July 1925) was a German artist and writer whose mature work as a painter and printmaker realized a synthesis of impressionism and expressionism. Corinth studied in Paris and Munich, joined the Berlin Se ...
, and
Ernst Kirchner Ernst Ludwig Kirchner (6 May 1880 – 15 June 1938) was a German expressionist painter and printmaker and one of the founders of the artists group Die Brücke or "The Bridge", a key group leading to the foundation of Expressionism in 20th-centu ...
; being favored highly by futurist artist and expressionists. In his essays, Endell paved the way for abstract art in Germany. Endell’s personal art theory was based on a psychological aesthetic of perception. He believed formal art should be separate from nature. He felt very strongly about art evoking strong feelings through freely invented forms, just as music does through sounds. Endell also contributed illustrations and decorative designs for wall reliefs, carpets, textiles, coverings, window glass and lamps to the publication '' Pan'' Not long after, in 1901, he contributed to the design of the Theater Bunte, in Berlin Germany, which has since been destroyed. Designing all the decorative elements, carpets, fabrics, and even the nails used in the building of the theater. Each area of the theater was painted a different diverse color, thus the name Theatre Bunte, Bunte meaning “colored.” Endell was also responsible for the design of the
Hackesche Höfe The Hackesche Höfe ( en, Hacke's Courtyards) is a notable courtyard complex situated adjacent to the Hackescher Markt in the centre of Berlin. The complex consists of eight interconnected courtyards, accessed through a main arched entrance at n ...
, a notable courtyard complex in the centre of Berlin, as well as the design for a sanatorium in Wyk auf Föhr built in 1902. August Endell then went on to design several private homes and villas in the towns of Berlin and
Potsdam Potsdam () is the capital and, with around 183,000 inhabitants, largest city of the German state of Brandenburg. It is part of the Berlin/Brandenburg Metropolitan Region. Potsdam sits on the River Havel, a tributary of the Elbe, downstream of B ...
in Germany. He designed the
Max Silberberg Max Silberberg (27 February 1878, in Neuruppin – after 1942, in Ghetto Theresienstadt or Auschwitz concentration camp) was a major cultural figure in Breslau, a German Jewish entrepreneur, art collector and patron who was robbed and murdered by th ...
villa in Breslau Landsberger Straße 1–3 in 1923 in the
Art Deco Art Deco, short for the French ''Arts Décoratifs'', and sometimes just called Deco, is a style of visual arts, architecture, and product design, that first appeared in France in the 1910s (just before World War I), and flourished in the Unite ...
style. All while working as a self-taught architect, Endell was continuously publishing articles, essays, and books on his thought of design. In 1908 he published the book The Beauty in the Big City. Within the book the vision of a modern city is developed through Endell’s artistic perspective. He describes the city as taking place at the beginning of the 20th century. He describes the city as a place were work, culture, and art can all be exchanged. A few additional
architectural Architecture is the art and technique of designing and building, as distinguished from the skills associated with construction. It is both the process and the product of sketching, conceiving, planning, designing, and constructing buildings o ...
designs August Endell worked on were; 1912 design of the Racecourse Gallop of Mariendorf, 1912 the Trabrennbahn in Berlin Germany, and in 1914 the temporary location of the exhibition of Deutscher Werkbund. August Endell was a designer and an architect. From there he moved on to the idea of a new visual art and began creating fine art works that were architecturally structured while still expressing the qualities of other forms of art. He began creating and building things such as gates, arches, stairway rails, and other decorative wall elements.


References


Bibliography

*Gammel, Irene. “Munich’s Dionysian Avant-Garde in 1900.” ''Baroness Elsa: Gender, Dada, and Everyday Modernity''. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 2002. 89–121


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Endell, August 1871 births Art Nouveau architects 1925 deaths 19th-century German architects German architecture writers Architectural theoreticians German male non-fiction writers 20th-century German architects Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich alumni