Marquard Wocher (7 September 1769, Mimmenhausen, Germany – 1830, Basel, Switzerland) was a German painter who spent most of his life in Switzerland. He is known for the Wocher Panorama, a cyclorama of Thun, one of the few still existing cycloramas in the world and the oldest still existing.
Marquard Wocher was born on 7 September 1760 in the village Mimmenhausen near Salem, Holy Roman Empire as the son of the painter Tiberius Wocher. [1] His father settled to Bern, Marquard followed him soon [1] and was trained as a painter by him. For a short while he was employed at the workshop of the painter Johann Ludwig Aeberli, who introduced him to Johann Wolfgang von Goethe in 1779. [1] In 1782 he eventually installed himself in Basel. [1] [2]
He created the seals for the Helvetic Republic in 1798. [3] Initially mainly known for his portraits and miniatures, Wocher began to release sketches of the city of Thun in 1804. [4] In 1809 he built a tower in which he began painting the panorama. [5] It had 14 sides, had a height of about 19.5 meters and a diameter of 13.5. [5] Between 1809 and 1814 he painted the panorama on a canvas of 7.40 meters height and about 38 meters breadth. [5] [6] The painting depicts the city of Thun, the mountain range of Stockhorn, further the Niesen, Blüemlisalp, Jungfrau and a part of Lake Thun. [7] In 1814 Wocher announced the inauguration of the panorama and invited the public. [8] The panorama was visited by guets from all countries in Europe, but also countries from America. [9] Prominent visitors were Empress Marie Louise or the Grand Duke Michael of Russia. [9] But the maintenance of the panorama was expensive and Wocher was also not able to sell it until he died. [5]
Since 1961 the Panorama is accessible again in the Schadau-Park at the shores of Lake Thun. [2]
Marquard Wocher married Anna Büchel in 1800, who was the widow of the architect Johann Ulrich Büchel. [4] He was also present at the Unspunnenfestival in 1808, which was organized by his student Franz Niklaus König. [1]
Marquard Wocher (7 September 1769, Mimmenhausen, Germany – 1830, Basel, Switzerland) was a German painter who spent most of his life in Switzerland. He is known for the Wocher Panorama, a cyclorama of Thun, one of the few still existing cycloramas in the world and the oldest still existing.
Marquard Wocher was born on 7 September 1760 in the village Mimmenhausen near Salem, Holy Roman Empire as the son of the painter Tiberius Wocher. [1] His father settled to Bern, Marquard followed him soon [1] and was trained as a painter by him. For a short while he was employed at the workshop of the painter Johann Ludwig Aeberli, who introduced him to Johann Wolfgang von Goethe in 1779. [1] In 1782 he eventually installed himself in Basel. [1] [2]
He created the seals for the Helvetic Republic in 1798. [3] Initially mainly known for his portraits and miniatures, Wocher began to release sketches of the city of Thun in 1804. [4] In 1809 he built a tower in which he began painting the panorama. [5] It had 14 sides, had a height of about 19.5 meters and a diameter of 13.5. [5] Between 1809 and 1814 he painted the panorama on a canvas of 7.40 meters height and about 38 meters breadth. [5] [6] The painting depicts the city of Thun, the mountain range of Stockhorn, further the Niesen, Blüemlisalp, Jungfrau and a part of Lake Thun. [7] In 1814 Wocher announced the inauguration of the panorama and invited the public. [8] The panorama was visited by guets from all countries in Europe, but also countries from America. [9] Prominent visitors were Empress Marie Louise or the Grand Duke Michael of Russia. [9] But the maintenance of the panorama was expensive and Wocher was also not able to sell it until he died. [5]
Since 1961 the Panorama is accessible again in the Schadau-Park at the shores of Lake Thun. [2]
Marquard Wocher married Anna Büchel in 1800, who was the widow of the architect Johann Ulrich Büchel. [4] He was also present at the Unspunnenfestival in 1808, which was organized by his student Franz Niklaus König. [1]