Wilhelm Ottermanns

Wilhelm Ottermanns (* July 4 1913 at Aachen, Germany; † January 13 1998 at Aachen, Germany) was a art- and church painter at Aachen, Germany.

Life

On 4. Juli 1913 Wilhelm Joseph Ottermanns, alias Willi Ottermanns, became born as a son of Johan Hubert Ottermanns (* November 8 1874 at Aachen; † March 6 1946 at Aachen) and Maria Katharina Hilgers (* April 30 1876 at Aachen; † January 25 1930 at Aachen).

The family settled, as can be proved, in the 15. century down in Holland. Primarily Joanes Wilhelmus Otermans settled down at Aachen, Germany around 1850 after his marriage. Beginning with his sons all male descedents have been called Ottermanns.

The male descedents held both - the Netherlands and the German nationality; which explained, beside among other things like their international contacts, the represals which the christian, the German nationalsocialism rejacting family had been made on between the time 1933 to 1945. Thus the studios establishing date, which already existed before 1945, had been dated on the date 1945 by the family later on.

The first studio Ottermanns around 1945

Works

After the long desired release at the VE Day by the allied troops, Wilhelm Ottermanns worked for the at Aachen stationed US Americans. In his category pictures, even if not romantically clarified, they saw a contemporarily documentary image of an in Europe integrated continental Germany. Thus many of his pictures left Europe with the continuous departure of the troops.

Already at childhood the gift of the constantly drawning artist showed up. In his early oil painting the understanding and reflection of the natures own dramatics of coloredness and contrast becomes definited. Particularly in his inspired landscape paintings and sea battles his endeavour in the spirit of the painters of the "German romance" like Caspar David Friedrich and Carl Gustav Carus becomes clear. A multiplicity of quit lives and portraits developed moreover.

The emphasis of his activity however has been the church painting. His artistic ancestors thereby were the Dutch painters like Rembrandt and Ruisdael, and in addition, the younger French masters of the light like Corot and Vlaminck. Among his activity as church painter and apart from providing paintings, he produced gold plating and versions, as well as the sculpture. Beside the provided statues, his own production of Christmas cribs and crib figures enjoyed of large popularity.

After that he handed over the studio to his grandchild Stefan Ottermanns, he still produced until 1997. The always helpful and friendly artist deceased 1998 at Aachen - Germany.

Persondata
NAME=Ottermanns, Wilhelm
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=Ottermanns, Willi
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Art and church painter at Aachen, Germany
DATE OF BIRTH=4. July 1913
PLACE OF BIRTH=Aachen
DATE OF DEATH=13. January 1998
PLACE OF DEATH=Aachen