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Berthold Imhoff

{{short description|German painter}}

{{Infobox artist

| name = Berthold von Imhoff

| image =

| image_size =

| caption =

| birth_name =

| birth_date = January 14, 1861

| birth_place = Mannheim, Grand Duchy of Baden

| death_date = December 14, 1939

| death_place = St. Walburg, Saskatchewan, Canada

| nationality = German, American, Canadian

| known_for = artist who made frescoes, oil paintings

| training =

| movement =

| notable_works =

| patrons =

| awards = Order of St. Gregory the Great

| spouse = Matilda Johner

}}

Count Berthold von Imhoff (January 14, 1861 – December 14, 1939), was an artist known for his religious murals and paintings. Born in Germany in 1868, Imhoff immigrated to the United States with his family and settled in Reading, Pennsylvania, where he established a successful art and fresco business. He left Reading in 1914, and made his home and studio in the St. Walburg, Saskatchewan, area in Canada. From there he decorated churches in many rural villages of Saskatchewan and North Dakota as well as returning to Reading for commissioned work.{{cite web | title =Count Berthold Von Imhoff | url =http://people.ucalgary.ca/~dsucha/imhoff.html | accessdate = 2012-12-07}}{{cite web | title =Virtual Saskatchewan (Count Berthold Von Imhoff) | url =http://www.virtualsk.com/current_issue/count_imhoff.html | accessdate = 2012-12-07}}{{cite web | title =Imhoff Gallery | url =http://www.imhoffgallery.com/new/ | accessdate =2012-12-07 | url-status =dead | archiveurl =https://web.archive.org/web/20140827125656/http://www.imhoffgallery.com/new/ | archivedate =2014-08-27 }}

Early life

Imhoff was born in Mannheim, Grand Duchy of Baden (now Baden-Württemberg, Germany), to Count Leopold and Rosina (Allgeier) von Imhoff. At age 12, he started studying at various European art schools including Oberwinter, Halle-an-der-Halle, and the art institute at Karlsruhe, Baden. In 1884, Imhoff won the Art Academy Award of Berlin for his painting The Glory of Emperor Frederick. $3000 was offered for the painting, but he refused, and the painting is now on display at the Lloydminster Cultural and Science Centre in Lloydminster, Saskatchewan. At age 20, Imhoff began studying figure work at the art academy at Düsseldorf.{{cite web |url =http://www.imhoffgallery.com/ImhoffArt/index.htm |title =Biography and Accomplishments |publisher =The Imhoff Gallery |accessdate =December 24, 2012 |archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20160304041812/http://www.imhoffgallery.com/ImhoffArt/index.htm |archive-date =March 4, 2016 |url-status =dead }}

Life in North America

In 1891, Berthold Imhoff married Matilde Johner, the daughter of Joseph Johner, who was one of his teachers at Bonndorf. Berthold Imhoff began to feel oppressed by European society, and decided to move to North America. His family settled in Reading, Pennsylvania, where he established an art and fresco business. Imhoff's fame soon escalated as he travelled the eastern United States painting churches and homes of wealthy industrialists. As the eastern United States began to become an industrial powerhouse, Imhoff decided to move to Canada. Searching for a quiet, peaceful place to work on his art, Imhoff, Matilde, and six of his seven children moved to what is now St. Walburg, Saskatchewan, in 1914. Once in Saskatchewan, Imhoff started painting many of the small churches which dot the prairie landscape near his home, often for free or for very little pay. In 1926, Imhoff completed what some people consider his masterpiece: the cathedral in Reading, Pennsylvania. Many of the 226 life-sized paintings were started in his studio in Saskatchewan and then transported to Reading where they were then completed by him and his family.{{cite web | title =Reading Eagle - Mar 15, 1972 by Wayne E. Homan | url =https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1955&dat=19720315&id=lgkrAAAAIBAJ&sjid=z5kFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3171,2858636 | accessdate = 2012-12-18}} In 1937, he was awarded a Knighthood in the Pontifical Order of St. Gregory the Great by Pope Pius XI. He died in 1939 and is buried in the St. Walburg Roman Catholic Cemetery next to his wife Matilda. A life size equestrian statue honouring Imhoff by St. Walburg artist Susan Velder{{cite web | title =Saskatchewan Artist (Susan Velder) | url =http://www.sknac.ca/index.php?page=ArtistDetail&id=326 | accessdate =2012-12-07 }} is located in the village. The Imhoff Gallery which includes his studio, home and farm is now a heritage site.{{cite web | title =Imhoff Gallery | url =http://heritageapp.cyr.gov.sk.ca/assets/pdf/2259.pdf | accessdate =2012-12-08 | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20131216190744/http://heritageapp.cyr.gov.sk.ca/assets/pdf/2259.pdf | archive-date =2013-12-16 | url-status =dead }}

Works

Image:Berthold Imhoff remembered 2 (481919999).jpg in Muenster, Saskatchewan]]

Imhoff decorated over 90 churches.{{cite web

| title =Count Berthold Von Imhoff

| url =http://people.ucalgary.ca/~dsucha/imhoff.html

| date =

| accessdate = 2012-12-07}}

Examples of his work can be seen in churches at Carmel, St. Benedict, Bruno, Denzil, St. Leo, North Battleford in Saskatchewan{{cite web

| title = The Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan (IMHOFF, BERTHOLD JOHN VON)

| url =http://esask.uregina.ca/entry/imhoff_berthold_john_von_1868-_1939.html

| date =

| accessdate =2012-12-10}} and at the following locations.

=Canada=

  • St. Walburg & District Historical Museum (Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church){{cite web

|title=A drive through the count's country (St. Walburg & District Historical Museum)

|url=http://www.sasktourism.com/files/file/PDF%20Documents/Itineraries/07_CountsCountry_LR.pdf

|accessdate=2012-12-14

|url-status=dead

|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130326094006/http://www.sasktourism.com/files/file/PDF%20Documents/Itineraries/07_CountsCountry_LR.pdf

|archivedate=2013-03-26

}}

| title = Imhoff Museum & Art Gallery

| url =http://www.sasktourism.com/Imhoff-Museum-&-Art-Gallery

| date =

| accessdate =2012-12-08 }}

| title =St. Peter's Cathedral

| url =http://www.historicplaces.ca/en/rep-reg/place-lieu.aspx?id=8678

| date =

| accessdate =2012-12-08 }}

| title =Holy Rosary Church

| url =http://www.saskatoonrcdiocese.com/news_articles/documents/Reward100th_pdf.log.pdf

| date =

| accessdate =2012-12-08 }}

| title =Our Lady of Sorrows

| url =http://www.ndstudies.org/media/prairie_churches_count_berthold_von_imhoff_part_2

| accessdate =2012-12-08

| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20131216190744/http://www.ndstudies.org/media/prairie_churches_count_berthold_von_imhoff_part_2

| archive-date =2013-12-16

| url-status =dead

}}

| title =Assumption Catholic Church

| url =http://www.ndstudies.org/media/prairie_churches_count_berthold_von_imhoff_part_2

| accessdate =2012-12-08

| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20131216190744/http://www.ndstudies.org/media/prairie_churches_count_berthold_von_imhoff_part_2

| archive-date =2013-12-16

| url-status =dead

}}

| title = Permanent Exhibits & Galleries (Lloydminster Cultural and Science Centre)

| url =http://www.lloydminster.ca/index.aspx?NID=444

| date =

| accessdate =2012-12-08 }}

| title =Sacred Heart Cathedral

| url =http://www.worldisround.com/articles/335382/photo3.html

| archive-url =https://archive.today/20130630163124/http://www.worldisround.com/articles/335382/photo3.html

| url-status =dead

| archive-date =2013-06-30

| date =

| accessdate =2013-04-18

}}{{cite web

| title = Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan (ROMAN CATHOLIC CATHEDRALS)

| url = http://esask.uregina.ca/entry/roman_catholic_cathedrals.html

| accessdate = 2013-04-18

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160304105649/http://esask.uregina.ca/entry/roman_catholic_cathedrals.html

| archive-date = 2016-03-04

| url-status = dead

}}

=United States=

| title =Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church

| url =http://www.ndstudies.org/media/prairie_churches_count_berthold_von_imhoff_part_1

| date =

| accessdate =2012-12-08

| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20131216182846/http://www.ndstudies.org/media/prairie_churches_count_berthold_von_imhoff_part_1

| archive-date =2013-12-16

| url-status =dead

}}{{cite web

| title =NDSU Libraries (Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church)

| url =http://library.ndsu.edu/grhc/history_culture/history/cantlon1.html

| date =

| accessdate =2012-12-18 }}

| title =St. Mary's Catholic Church

| url =http://www.ndstudies.org/media/prairie_churches_count_berthold_von_imhoff_part_1

| date =

| accessdate =2012-12-08

| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20131216182846/http://www.ndstudies.org/media/prairie_churches_count_berthold_von_imhoff_part_1

| archive-date =2013-12-16

| url-status =dead

}}

  • Blessed Trinity Church (formerly the Holy Trinity of Krasna){{cite web

| title =NDSU Libraries (Holy Trinity Catholic Church)

| url =http://library.ndsu.edu/grhc/history_culture/history/ohanneson.html

| date =

| accessdate =2012-12-18 }} near Strasburg, North Dakota{{cite web

| title =NDSU Libraries (Blessed Trinity Catholic Church)

| url = http://library.ndsu.edu/grhc/history_culture/history/ohanneson2.html

| date =

| accessdate =2012-12-18 }}

  • Sts. Peter & Paul Roman Catholic Church in Strasburg, North Dakota{{cite web

| title =NDSU Libraries (Strasburg's Historic Church Sts. Peter & Paul)

| url =http://library.ndsu.edu/grhc/articles/magazines/articles/ndhcoomber.html

| date =

| accessdate =2012-12-18 }}

| title =First United Church of Christ

| url =http://www.ndstudies.org/media/prairie_churches_count_berthold_von_imhoff_part_1

| date =

| accessdate =2012-12-08

| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20131216182846/http://www.ndstudies.org/media/prairie_churches_count_berthold_von_imhoff_part_1

| archive-date =2013-12-16

| url-status =dead

}}

| title = St. Peter the Apostle Catholic Church

| url = http://www.ndstudies.org/media/prairie_churches_count_berthold_von_imhoff_part_2

| accessdate = 2012-12-08

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20131216190744/http://www.ndstudies.org/media/prairie_churches_count_berthold_von_imhoff_part_2

| archive-date = 2013-12-16

| url-status = dead

}}

| title = Development of the Catholic Faith in Berks County (Church of the Most Blessed Sacrament, Bally, PA)

| url =

http://www.goreadingberks.com/religion/catholicfaith/history/

| date =

| accessdate =2012-12-19 }}

| title = St. Paul's United Church of Christ

| url = http://schaefferstownucc.org/bachmans.html

| archive-url = https://archive.today/20130415201411/http://schaefferstownucc.org/bachmans.html

| url-status = usurped

| archive-date = 2013-04-15

| date =

| accessdate = 2012-12-14

}}

| title = Salem Reformed UCC marks 275th anniversary

| url =http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=304620

| date =

| accessdate =2012-12-08 }}

  • Other works by Imhoff in the Reading, Pennsylvania area might still exist at the following locations.{{cite web

| title =Biographies from Historical and Biographical Annals by Morton Montgomery (1909) IMHOFF, BERTHOLD J.(p. 495)

| url =http://berks.pa-roots.com/books/montgomery/i01.html

| date =

| accessdate =2012-12-19 }}

  • St. John's Catholic Church at Pottsville
  • St. Mary's Catholic Church at York
  • German Catholic Church at Hazleton
  • Catholic Church at Williamsport
  • Trinity Lutheran Church, Reading
  • Lithuanian Catholic Church, Mahanoy City
  • Baptist Church, Reading
  • Spies's Union Church, Alsace township
  • Reformed Church, Hazleton
  • Lutheran Church, Myerstown
  • St. Paul's Roman Catholic Church, Reading{{cite web

| title = St. Paul's Roman Catholic Church

| url =https://sites.google.com/site/stpaulsrcchurch/features/berthold-imhoff

| date =

| accessdate =2012-12-19 }}

Videos

  • [https://web.archive.org/web/20131216182844/http://www.ndstudies.org/media/prairie_churches_immigrant_church_artist Prairie Churches immigrant church artist]
  • [https://web.archive.org/web/20131216182846/http://www.ndstudies.org/media/prairie_churches_count_berthold_von_imhoff_part_1 Count Berthold Von Imhoff Part 1]
  • [https://web.archive.org/web/20131216190744/http://www.ndstudies.org/media/prairie_churches_count_berthold_von_imhoff_part_2 Count Berthold Von Imhoff Part 2]

References

{{reflist|2}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Imhoff, Berthold}}

Category:19th-century German painters

Category:19th-century German male artists

Category:German male painters

Category:20th-century German painters

Category:20th-century German male artists

Category:19th-century Canadian painters

Category:Canadian male painters

Category:20th-century Canadian painters

Category:Artists from Saskatchewan

Category:German emigrants to Canada

Category:German Roman Catholics

Category:Canadian Roman Catholics

Category:Knights of St. Gregory the Great

Category:1868 births

Category:1939 deaths

Category:Artists from Mannheim

Category:German muralists

Category:Canadian muralists

Category:Catholic painters

Category:Artists awarded knighthoods