Wolfgang-Adam Töpffer, also Adam-Wolfgang or simply Adam Töpffer (20 May 1766,

Geneva Geneva ( ; french: Genève ) frp, Genèva ; german: link=no, Genf ; it, Ginevra ; rm, Genevra is the second-most populous city in Switzerland (after Zürich) and the most populous city of Romandy, the French-speaking part of Switzerland. Situa ...

- 10 August 1847, Geneva) was a Swiss painter who specialized in landscapes and watercolors. His son was the illustrator and cartoonist,

Rodolphe Töpffer Rodolphe Töpffer ( , ; 31 January 1799 – 8 June 1846) was a Swiss teacher, author, painter, cartoonist, and caricaturist. He is best known for his illustrated books (''littérature en estampes'', "graphic literature"), which are possibly ...

, who is sometimes called the "father of the comic book".

Biography

Wolfgang-Adam Topffer - Die gebrochene Halskette

He was the son of a German tailor from

Schweinfurt Schweinfurt ( , ; ) is a city in the district of Lower Franconia in Bavaria, Germany. It is the administrative centre of the surrounding district (''Landkreis'') of Schweinfurt and a major industrial, cultural and educational hub. The urban ag ...

, who had come to work in the Republic of Geneva for a few years, but decided to stay and become a citizen. After showing some talent for art, he was apprenticed to an engraver and later studied at the "Society of Arts'.Brief biography
@ the

Historisches Lexikon der Schweiz The ''Historical Dictionary of Switzerland'' is an encyclopedia on the history of Switzerland that aims to take into account the results of modern historical research in a manner accessible to a broader audience. The encyclopedia is publis ...

. He worked as an engraver in

Lausanne , neighboring_municipalities= Bottens, Bretigny-sur-Morrens, Chavannes-près-Renens, Cheseaux-sur-Lausanne, Crissier, Cugy, Écublens, Épalinges, Évian-les-Bains (FR-74), Froideville, Jouxtens-Mézery, Le Mont-sur-Lausanne, Lugrin (FR ...

for a short time, then went on an Alpine expedition with Horace-Bénédict de Saussure; making sketches. In 1786, members of the Society, impressed with his work, recommended that he go to study in Paris and offered a scholarship. While there, he attended the

École des Beaux-Arts École des Beaux-Arts (; ) refers to a number of influential art schools in France. The term is associated with the Beaux-Arts style in architecture and city planning that thrived in France and other countries during the late nineteenth centur ...

, where he studied with and learned watercolor technique from Jean-Thomas Thibault. When he returned home in 1789, he found the city in turmoil from the effects of the

French Revolution The French Revolution ( ) was a period of radical political and societal change in France that began with the Estates General of 1789 and ended with the formation of the French Consulate in November 1799. Many of its ideas are conside ...

and was unable to find regular employment, so he did his best to make a living from teaching drawing and doing the occasional portrait. He held an exhibit of these in 1792, then accompanied the painter Pierre-Louis de La Rive on his travels, becoming interested in landscapes and what would later be called

plein-air ''En plein air'' (; French for 'outdoors'), or ''plein air'' painting, is the act of painting outdoors. This method contrasts with studio painting or academic rules that might create a predetermined look. The theory of 'En plein air' painting ...

painting. In the early years of the 19th Century, when the political situation had settled down a little, his works began to be successful, especially abroad. Some of his paintings were purchased by Empress Maria Feodorovna and the former Empress,

Joséphine de Beauharnais Josephine may refer to: People * Josephine (given name), a given name (including a list of people with the name) * Josephine (singer), a Greek pop singer Places *Josephine, Texas, United States * Mount Josephine (disambiguation) * Josephine Co ...

. In 1812, he was awarded a gold medal at the

Salon Salon may refer to: Common meanings * Beauty salon, a venue for cosmetic treatments * French term for a drawing room, an architectural space in a home * Salon (gathering), a meeting for learning or enjoyment Arts and entertainment * Salon ( ...

. He became a caricaturist and political cartoonist during the final years of the French Occupation and was sometimes called the " Hogarth of Geneva". For a time, some drawings from this period were mistakenly attributed to his son. Vue des environs de Genève Töpffer

He arranged for his daughter to marry a wealthy art collector and, after forty years of teaching and chairing the art society, died wealthy himself at the advanced age of 81, surviving his even more famous son by over a year.

References

External links

Arcadja Auctions: More works by Töpffer
{{DEFAULTSORT:Topffer, Wolfgang-Adam 1766 births 1847 deaths 18th-century artists from the Republic of Geneva Swiss male painters Landscape painters 19th-century Swiss painters Swiss cartoonists Swiss people of German descent École des Beaux-Arts alumni 19th-century Swiss male artists

Biography

References

Further reading

External links