Albert Zahn was a self-taught sculptor from the Prussian province of

Pomerania Pomerania ( ; ; ; ) is a historical region on the southern shore of the Baltic Sea in Central Europe, split between Poland and Germany. The central and eastern part belongs to the West Pomeranian Voivodeship, West Pomeranian, Pomeranian Voivod ...

, who lived and worked in

Door County Door County is the easternmost county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census, its population was 30,066. Its seat of government is Sturgeon Bay. It is named after the strait between the Door Peninsula and Washington Island. T ...

, Wisconsin, United States for most of his life. He is known primarily for his painted wood carvings of birds. He is also known for his depictions of angels, and for the creation of the Albert Zahn House, which he built with his wife Louise Zahn and adorned with hundreds of his carvings. Albert carved most of his sculptures from cedar, and then instructed Louise, who painted them. Some of his other notable subjects include maritime workers, Prussian soldiers, dogs, and deer.

Life and work

Born in 1864 in Pomerania (now part of Germany), Albert Zahn immigrated to the United States as a child, settling in Door County, Wisconsin, where he worked as a farmer. He began his career in the arts after retirement. He was raised Lutheran, and his piety informed most of his sculpture. His relatives have attested to Zahn's familiarity with the Bible, and it is possible to trace significance of almost all of his subjects to Old Testament psalms. Birds held particular significance as a subject for Zahn, earning him the nickname "Birdman of Baileys Harbor". In 1924 Albert and Louise Zahn built a house in

Baileys Harbor Baileys Harbor is a town in Door County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 1,003 at the 2000 census. The unincorporated community of Peninsula Center is located in the town. The census-designated place of Baileys Harbor is also lo ...

, Wisconsin, which he named Birds Park. Now also known as the

Albert Zahn House The Albert Zahn House is located in Baileys Harbor, Wisconsin, United States. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2000. History The house was built by folk artist Albert Zahn Albert Zahn was a self-taught sculptor from ...

, the property was added to the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

in 2000. Zahn decorated the house and property extensively with his sculptures. Most of these pieces have now been dispersed into private collections. Zahn continued to build a large body of work until 1950, when his wife died. He died three years later, in 1953. Inspired by his work, Albert Zahn's grandson and great-grandson, Ed Zahn and Randy Zahn, both became woodcarvers and often carved the same subjects as Zahn.

Permanent collections

John Michael Kohler Arts Center The John Michael Kohler Arts Center is an independent, not-for-profit contemporary art museum and performing arts complex located in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, United States.Smithsonian Institution The Smithsonian Institution ( ), or simply the Smithsonian, is a group of museums, Education center, education and Research institute, research centers, created by the Federal government of the United States, U.S. government "for the increase a ...

, Washington, D.C. *

Milwaukee Art Museum The Milwaukee Art Museum (also referred to as MAM) is an art museum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Its collection of over 34,000 works of art and gallery spaces totaling 150,000 sq. ft. (13,900 m²) make it the largest art museum in the state of Wis ...

, Milwaukee, Wisconsin *

Art Institute of Chicago The Art Institute of Chicago, founded in 1879, is one of the oldest and largest art museums in the United States. The museum is based in the Art Institute of Chicago Building in Chicago's Grant Park (Chicago), Grant Park. Its collection, stewa ...

, Chicago, Illinois * Intuit, Chicago, Illinois * Carl Hammer Gallery,Carl Hammer Gallery
/ref> Chicago, Illinois

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Zahn, Albert People from Pomerania 20th-century American sculptors 1864 births 1953 deaths Prussian emigrants to the United States American male sculptors 20th-century American male artists People from Baileys Harbor, Wisconsin Sculptors from Wisconsin Immigrants to the United States