Oertel - 19th c. bio

[Gay Gellhorn]

Duane -- could you send around your Bread article to refresh our recollection?    Lots on Oertel on internet --  including this 19th century bio. entry.    

You are in: Museum of History >> Hall of North and South Americans >> Johannes Adam Oertel

Appleton's Cyclopedia of American Biography, edited by James Grant Wilson, John Fiske and Stanley L. Klos. Six volumes, New York: D. Appleton and Company, 1887-1889 and StanKlos.com 1999. Virtualology.com warns that these 19th Century biographies contain errors and bias. We rely on volunteers to edit the historic biographies on a continual basis. If you would like to edit this biography please submit a rewritten biography in text form . If acceptable, the new biography will be published above the 19th Century Appleton's Cyclopedia Biography citing the volunteer editor. Virtual American Biographies Over 30,000 personalities with thousands of 19th Century illustrations, signatures, and exceptional life stories. Virtualology.com welcomes editing and additions to the biographies. To become this site's editor or a contributor Click Here or e-mail Virtualology here. A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z   Johannes Adam Oertel OERTEL, Johannes Adam, artist, born in Furth, near Nuremberg, Bavaria, 3 November, 1823. He studied art in Nuremberg and Munich, but devoted himself chiefly to engraving until 1848, when he came to the United States and taught for a time in Newark, New Jersey In 1857 he removed to Madison, New Jersey, where he painted the "Lament of the Fallen Spirits" and "Redemption." About this time he was invited to assist in preparing new decorations for the National capitol. In 1861 he transferred his studio to Westerly, Rhode Island, where he painted "Father Time and his Family" and "The Final Harvest" (1862);" The Dispensation of the Promise and the Law," containing 150 figures (1863); "Walk to Emmaus," "The Walk to Gethsemane," "Easter Morning," "Magdalen at the Sepulchre," "The Rock of Ages," and others (1868). The last-named picture was reproduced by chromo-lithography, and sold extensively both in this country and in England. During life civil war Mr. Oertel accompanied the Army of Virginia under General Burnside. His " Virginia Turnpike" and other landscapes were the fruit of his military experience. Besides his paintings he has produced several carved-wood altar-pieces, among them an elaborate altar and reredos for the Church of the Incarnation, Washington, D.C. While residing at Westerly he prepared himself for orders in the Protestant Episcopal church, and he was made deacon in 1865, and subsequently presbyter. He has since confined himself almost entirely to the domain of Christian art, and painted pictures that he presented to churches in Glen Cove, New York, New York city, Washington, D. C., North Carolina, and elsewhere. After having charge of two parishes in the latter state and spending a year in Florida, Mr. Oertel was invited to fill the chair of Christian art at the University of the South, Sewanee, Tennessee, which he now (1888)occupies. Edited Appletons Encyclopedia, Copyright © 2001 VirtualologyTM Start your search on Johannes Adam Oertel.   Unauthorized Site: This site and its contents are not affiliated, connected, associated with or authorized by the individual, family, friends, or trademarked entities utilizing any part or the subject's entire name. Any official or affiliated sites that are related to this subject will be hyper linked below upon submission and Evisum, Inc. review. Copyright© 2000 by Evisum Inc.TM. All rights reserved. Evisum Inc.TM Privacy Policy

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[Dr. Duane Bonds]

Dear Friends,

 

As requested, pasted in below please find my article that I submitted to Bread concerning the artwork of Oertel that is in our Incarnation Chapel.

 

Harry Leich has access to a book from the Library of Congress that shows several pictures of the artwork within the Incarnation Episcopal Church when it was at 12th & N Sts., N.W. I am hoping to scan them so that we can place them on our St. Stephen's web page.

 

Shalom,

Duane Robina Bonds

1 AUG 2007 @ 1900 HRS EDT

Internet:drbo...@verizon.net

phone:202-744-1915

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                                                       Incarnation Chapel Symbols

 

A picture is worth a million words when one walks around the Incarnation Chapel. The appointments in this chapel were painted and carved by Johannes (Adam Simon) Oertel (1823-1909) for the the Incarnation Episcopal Church and were moved to St. Stephen=s when the 2 churches merged in the early 1900's. Johannes Oertel was an artist and Episcopal priest who emigrated to the United States after the German revolution in 1848. He studied art in Nuremberg and Munich, and worked mainly in engraving after moving to the U.S. before beginning his work in oils and wood carving in the late 1850's. There is a painting of the AGood Shepherd@ with a plaque commemorating his artwork in our church in the center of the side wall of the Incarnation Chapel which was dedicated to his memory on Easter, 1960.

 

As one looks at the Incarnation Chapel altar, the first figure that one sees is a depiction of AChrist the King@. This image is a frequent symbolic representation of Jesus, seated as a monarch with the earth as his footstool. What is striking about this painting is what Jesus is wearing. Along with the monarch=s crown, Christ is wearing a very ancient Judaic symbol: the breastplate of Aaron. During Christ=s lifetime, this breastplate was worn by the Chief Priest of the Temple in Jerusalem on High Holy Days when entering the Holy of Holies. The 12 jewels on the breastplate represent the 12 tribes of Israel. For movie fans, you have seen this elaborate costume in the movie, ARaiders of the Lost Ark@. At the end of the movie, the main villain puts on the Chief Priest=s wardrobe including the breastplate of Aaron in preparation for opening the Ark of the Covenant. The language describing Christ as being Aour High Priest@ is found at the end of Eucharistic Prayer C. This reference is made to symbolize Christ=s role supplanting that of the High Priest of the Temple in Jerusalem, who was a very controversial figure during Christ=s lifetime since the High Priest was criticized by Christ=s followers as being a poor manager of the Temple and for being a collaborator with the Roman occupiers.

 

On either side of the painting of AChrist the King@, one sees statues that represent Saints Peter and Paul. Saint Peter is on the left, holding the Akeys to the kingdom@, a standard way of depicting him. Saint Paul is on the right holding a sword, which is a reminder of his main function as a tax collector prior to his conversion on the road to Damascus.

 

The painting on the back wall of the Incarnation Chapel is a large representation of the evangelists (from left to right): Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. A smaller scale version of this painting is behind the altar at St. John=s Episcopal Church-Georgetown. If you go to St. John=s-Georgetown, you will notice that the colors in their copy of this painting are brighter than ours, a phenomenon similar to what was seen in the before and after pictures of the Vatican=s restoration of Michelangelo=s art work in the Sistine Chapel.

 

Rounding out our tour of the Incarnation Chapel, we come to the wall that houses the reserved sacrament. The symbols on this wall are ancient symbols of Christianity: ALamb of God@ - a lamb holding the banner of victory over death, ICXC/NIKA - which are Greek letters abbreviating the phrase AJesus Christ Conquers@ ; the cross and crown that symbolize the reward promised to the faithful at death in Revelation 2:10; the Greek letters Alpha and Omega which symbolize Christ as being the beginning and the end of all things (see Revelation 1:8); and the Christmas Rose, which symbolizes the Messianic prophecy.

 

- Duane Robina Bonds

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From: ssi...@googlegroups.com [mailto:ssi...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Gay Gellhorn
Sent: Wednesday, August 01, 2007 18:37
To: ssi...@googlegroups.com
Subject: SSIArts: Oertel - 19th c. bio