Thomas G. Moses (1856-1934) left a written record of his career. At the end of his life, fellow artists referred to him as the “Dean of Scenic Artists.” He assembled a typed manuscript in 1931, compiling all of his handwritten diaries into one document. His daily entries began in 1873 when his father sent him his first journal. Moses also left a scrapbook of not only his successes, but also the achievements of his friends. Both are in the Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas in Austin. I created an index for both books and am currently transcribing some of the handwritten diaries that just came to light. Moses’ started life in a small rural community, soon moving to a larger metropolitan area. In Chicago, he would strike out on his own as a very young man, determined to establish himself as an artist. Moses created scenery for a variety of performance venues throughout the country and was active in many fine art organizations.
There is another artist who parallels his journey, but in the panorama studio – Friedrich Wilhelm Heine (1845-1921). Heine was a German immigrant who arrived in Milwaukee after being offered a position with the American Panorama Company. He was recognized as a successful artist prior to moving to the United States in 1885. Both artists specialized in the painting of scenic illusion and visual spectacle. Moses and Heine each worked as art instructors and exhibited their work. Both recorded their daily activities and painting projects over the decades. Moses’ diaries start in 1873 and end in 1934. Heine’s diaries start in 1880 and end in 1921.
Heine’s diaries were written in almost undecipherable German and Moses’ diaries were written in barely decipherable English. I laugh when I compare the two.
Legible penmanship was not a priority for either man, but these were their private accounts. I am not fluent in German or Heine might have received the majority of my attention, especially considering my heritage. Luckily, Moses left a typed manuscript. There are only a few of his handwritten diaries left and I have transcribed one – 1931. Heines left many handwritten diaries without their compilation in a typed manuscript. I have now contacted the gentlemen who transcribed some of Heine’s diaries, Michael Kutzer. The transcription job landed on his doorstep in 2008 as he had an understanding of art history and painting techniques, as well as the ability to read old German writing. Kutzer studied art at the Academy in Stuttgart, Germany, and art history at the university there. There could not be a more perfect person for the job, but the funding for the project ran out. The project leaders decided to start in 1885 with Heine’s arrival and go until 1893. Kutzer’s passion for the project brought him back as a volunteer where he started with the beginning, 1880. He is now just finishing 1882 and doubts that he will be able to transcribe the remainder of the diaries in his lifetime.
Kutzer mentioned the patience required to decipher the Heine’s “lousy handwriting” and his extreme love for abbreviations. I had to chuckle as I thought of how Moses used alternative and abbreviations too.
Over the years, many articles have provided insight into Heine’s diaries. He was a great example of an immigrant who gained recognition as a Milwaukee Panorama Artist. Here is a very brief summary of Heine and his scenic art contribution as a panorama painter during the late nineteenth century. Heine was born in Germany and did not immigrate to the United States until the age of forty in 1885. At that time, he was a well-known artist, financially stable, married and had three young children. He had worked as an engraver, book illustrator, a sketch artist with the Prussian army, and a field artist in the Franco-Prussian War of 1871. It was his reputation as a war artist that would bring him to America to work on large battle panoramas. William Wehner provided Heine with his first job in the United States. Wehner was a Chicago businessman who founded the American Panorama Company in 1883. Wehner actively recruited scenic artists from Europe to staff his paint studio.
On April 25, 1885, Heine left Dresden for Bremen where a group of panorama artists assembled for their transatlantic journey. The chief organizer of the group was August Lohr who helped the group board the steamship “Fulda” for the nine-day crossing. In preparation for his departure, Heine signed his family up for English lessons, purchased art tools, and took out a life insurance policy. His family would join him in America a year later.
In New York, Wehner met up with the group of artists and they continued onto Milwaukee, arriving by May 13.
To be continued…
Michael KUTZER
Thank you, Gene.