Part 574: Mathias Armbruster of M. Armbruster & Sons Studio in Columbus, Ohio
Yesterday’s post concerned the suicide of a close friend to Thomas G. Moses– Otto Armbruster. Otto was the son of a well-known scenic artist and founder of Armbruster Scenic Studio of Columbus, Ohio – Mathias Armbruster.
Mathias Armbruster was born on February 24, 1839, in Ebingen, Württenberg, Germany. His early artistic studies focused on portraiture as he trained in Stuttgart and Paris. Armbruster also lived and worked briefly in Stockholm and London. At the age of twenty, he traveled to the United States of America and settled in Cincinnati, Ohio. His early years in Cincinnati included working as an art-glass painter and scenic artist.
When the Civil War broke our, Armbruster enlisted in the 28th Ohio Volunteer Infantry for three years, participating in the battles of Bull Run and Antietam as a first lieutenant. While stationed in West Virginia, he continued sketching, completing several sketches of soldiers on duty and military camps. One of his oil paintings depicting the battle of Antietam is part of the Ohioans in the Civil War display at the Ohio Historical Society. In his final year with the infantry, he functioned as a recruiting officer for the army in Columbus, Ohio. While stationed in Columbus, he met and fell in love with another German immigrant, Katherine Wahlenmaier. Katherine, her mother and sister arrived to the United States in 1848.
The couple was married by Rev. F. Lehman in Columbus, but initially made their home in Cincinnati. They had seven children: Otto H (b. 1865), Albert E. (b. 1867), Emil “Amiel” Gustav (b. 1869), Rose O. (1871), Flora (b. 1876), and Pauline (b. 1878).
Once living in Columbus, Mathias founded Armbruster Scenic Studio in 1875. His first studio was a large brick building, located where a barn once stood behind the family house. From 1875-1888, much of his studio work included creating stock scenery for opera houses and specialty scenery for lesser-known traveling groups. Some of the firm’s larger projects during this time were Lewis Morrison’s “Faust,” and the mammoth minstrel shows for Al G. Field.
In 1889, Mathias purchased a twenty-nine acre parcel of land at the far north end of Columbus. Naming his home Walhalla, the wooded ravine reminded him of Germany. He also purchased the Clinton Methodist Church Chapel that had been built in 1838 and was once a stop on the Underground Railroad. Armbruster converted the Clinton Chapel, into his private residence. In a lovely paper about Mathias Armbruster written by his descendent Leann Faust, she comments that the final decade of Mathias’ life was spent working in his garden. Emil’s little daughter Alice was often by his side. Faust wrote, “She fondly remembered the peppermints that he carried in his pocket to share with her. He was proud of his hollyhocks and rose-of-sharon. He enjoyed reading and spoke four languages. He loved music and played six instruments. He was a member of the Masonic and Elks Lodges.” M. Armbruster & Sons provided scenery for the Masonic Temple in Columbus, Ohio.
As with most scenic studios, the founder was a scenic artist who completed the majority of painting in the early years with an assistant. Soon, Mathias’ sons joined him in the studio as each came of age; Albert started cleaning brushes at the age of ten years old. The three sons who followed their father into the scenic art trade included Albert, Emil and Otto. Each started in the studio cleaning brushes, gradually becoming a scenic artist in their own right. Albert was known for his exteriors, landscapes, and drapery work for front curtains, while Emil specialized in interiors. Otto left the family business at the age of twenty to strike out on his own in New York. He was well respected by Moses, who hired him in 1900; that meant he was likely both talented and fast. Otto established himself at the Broadway theatre and worked on a variety of projects, such as those for Moses & Hamilton during the first decade of the twentieth century. Armbruster and Ed Loitz were working under the direction of Al Roberts at the 125th Street Theatre when employed by Moses & Hamilton.
From 1890 to 1905, the Armbruster studio in Columbus began to attract a series of well-known clients, including Alexander Salvini, Sarah Bernhardt, Helena Modjeska, Charles Hanford, R. B. Mantell, R. D. Maclean, and James O’Neil. They began to create an increasingly amount of classical interiors for a Shakespearean Repertoire. After 1905, business shifted to primarily producing scenery for vaudeville and traveling minstrel shows.
Sadly, within twelve years, four of the three scenic artists in the Armbruster family would pass away. Otto committed suicide in 1908. That same year, Mathias would sell 25 acres of his 29-acre parcel to a real estate developer. I have to wonder if this sale signaled the financial struggles that the family was encountering, a contributing factor cited for the cause of Otto’s suicide in 1908. This was also the beginning of a transitional time as Mathias began planning for his retirement. He was 69 years old and the firm’s only professionally trained painter and draftsman, having attended art schools in Europe. Although his sons apprenticed to him, they received no formal artistic instruction beyond that of their father. Although the studio would continue to do well, the absence of Mathias was notable in the overall aesthetic.
Mathias would retire finally from the firm only two years later in 1910. This would leave Emil and Albert in charge of M. Armbruster & Sons Studio. Emil passed away only six years after that in 1916, leaving Albert in charge of the firm. The founder’s death in 1920, left only Albert left. Albert would remain actively engaged in the studio until his retirement in 1958. During this period the studio transitioned to become a primarily a scenic supply house. This was not unusual for the time. Studio activities during the final decades of the company were dominated by the rental of stock equipment and scenery to amateur producers; the industry was shifting once again and the Armbruster Studio was adapting to each trend.
Albert would live another seven years, passing away in 1965 at the age of 98 years old. Forty-five years after his father passed away from cancer on November 27, 1920. One of Mathias Armbruster’s final comments on his deathbed was. “This is a beautiful world but there is still much to be done by man.”
In her family paper, Leanne Faust described her grandfather Mathias: “He was short in stature but was always a stylish dresser, usually wearing a hat. He had deep blue eyes, brown hair and wore a mustache and beard all of his adult life. In later years he was delighted when youngsters called him Santa Claus. He had a warm, winning personality and adored children.”
To be continued…
Does anyone have information on Adolph and his contributions? I was told, as a child, that Otto’s suicide was from poisoning due to the arsinic used in paints at that time. He was what was called a “fine point” artist. Because of the detailed work that he did, he would sharpen the point of the brush with his saliva while twirling the brush in his mouth. The small amounts of arsinic eventually built up in his system and drove him mad. Any other information about my family or their paintings, please let me know. Mathias Armbruster’s great grandson Don Albert Armbruster, portraitsbydon@fuse.net
I would love to continue this conversation with you, Don. Please feel free to email me at waszut_barrett@me.com.
Thanks for your interest, please contact me through my email address above. Do you have any information as to Mathias’ life in Ebengin Germany?
Just came across this now, Don. It is delightful to meet you!
Love your work, thank you for this.