Frank Teich

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Frank Teich ( September 22, 1856 - January 27, 1939) was an American sculptor, stone carver and businessman, often referred to as the father of the Texas granite industry.[1]

Born in Neundorf bei Lobenstein, Germany and educated in drawing, design and stone carving, studying with Johannes Schilling,[2] Teich immigrated to the United States in 1878, moving to Chicago a year later. There he was placed in charge of the stone carving for the Cook County Courthouse.[3] He left Chicago and settled in Texas in 1883, where he remained for the rest of his life. In Austin, Teich received the contract as superintendent of the granite cutting on the new capitol building, designed by Elijah E. Myers. Teich designed the Volunteer Firemen Monument that was installed on the capitol grounds in 1896. After receiving the commission to execute the Confederate Soldiers Monument on the capitol grounds [4] Teich contacted the Roman Bronze Works, who in turn assigned an employee of theirs, Pompeo Coppini, to San Antonio, where Teich's studio was located, to assist in the making of the monument. Roman Bronze Works got the contract for five bronze figures, but they never got Coppini back. He stayed in Texas for the remainder of his life.

Around 1900, Teich discovered a large outcrop of granite near Llano, Texas. It was his exploitation of that resource that resulted in his being referred to as "the father of the Texas granite industry." [5]

Much of Teich's sculptural output over the ensuing decades involved the making of Confederate monuments. In 1896, he was made an honorary member of the Daughters of the Confederacy.

Since Teich supplied both statues and the granite bases that statues by other artists are mounted on, it is sometimes difficult to know for sure what might be his work or someone else's.[6]

Works

  • Volunteer Firemen Monument (1896), Texas State Capitol, Austin, Texas
  • (with Pompeo Coppini) Confederate Soldiers Monument (1903), Texas State Capitol, Austin, Texas

References

  1. ↑ Little, Carol Morris, ‘’A Comprehensive Guide to Outdoor Sculpture in Texas’’, University of Texas Press, Austin, Texas 1996 p. 7
  2. ↑ http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fte05
  3. ↑ Hendricks, Patricia D and Becky Duval Reese, ‘’A Century of Sculpture in Texas: 1889-1989’’, Archer M. Huntington Art Gallery, University of Texas at Austin, 1989 p. 19
  4. ↑ Fowler, Mike and Jack Mcguire, ‘’The Capitol Story: Statehouse in Texas ‘’ Eakin Press, Austin, TX, 1988 p. 135
  5. ↑ Little, Carol Morris, ‘’A Comprehensive Guide to Outdoor Sculpture in Texas’’, University of Texas Press, Austin, Texas 1996 p. 7
  6. ↑ Hendricks, Patricia D and Becky Duval Reese, ‘’A Century of Sculpture in Texas: 1889-1989’’, Archer M. Huntington Art Gallery, University of Texas at Austin, 1989 p.22
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