Memo-2510

Type:

Bach Illustration

Title:

Johann Sebastian Bach

Description:

Regarded as perhaps the greatest composer of all time, Bach was known during his lifetime primarily as an outstanding organ player and technician. The youngest of eight children born to musical parents, Johann Sebastian was destined to become a musician. While still young, he had mastered the organ and violin, and was also an excellent singer. At the age of ten, both of his parents died within a year of each other. Young Sebastian was fortunate to be taken in by an older brother, Johann Christoph, who most likely continued his musical training. At the age of fifteen, Bach secured his first position in the choir of St. Michael's School in Lüneburg. In 1717, Bach moved on to another post, this time as Kapellmeister at the court of Prince Leopold. During the years Bach was in the service of the courts, he was obliged to compose a great deal of instrumental music: hundreds of pieces for solo keyboard, orchestral dance suites, trio sonatas for various instruments, and concertos for various instruments and orchestra. Towards the end of 1749, Bach's failing eyesight was operated on by a traveling English surgeon, the catastrophic results of which were complete blindness. His health failing, Bach nevertheless continued to compose, dictating his work to a pupil. He finally succombed to a stroke on July 28, 1750. He was buried in an unmarked grave at St. Thomas' Church.

Measures:

* Image Size: 12 by 14 inches
* Overall Size: 15 by 20 inches
* Medium: Mixed Media on Cold Press Illustration Board

Creator:

Artist: Erik Nitsche (Swiss, 1908-1998)
Year: 1985
This painting was originally published on the Fleetwood® First Day Cover for the Germany 10pf Johann Sebastian Bach stamp issued March 19, 1985.

Comments:

About the artist:
Born in Lausanne, Switzerland, in 1908, Erik Nitsche studied at the Collège Classique in Lausanne and the Kunstgewerbeschule in Munich. He began his career as an illustrator and graphic designer working in Cologne and Paris. In 1934 he moved to the United States and lived in New York City where he created illustrations for many magazines, including Harper's Bazaar, Vogue, Vanity Fair and Life.
A prolific award-winning artist of international reputation, Nitsche designed, researched and published a 12-volume history of science and technology, as well as a 20-volume history of music that was published in three languages. He has also designed postage stamps and children's books. His works have been exhibited in museums and galleries in cities throughout the world, including New York, Munich, Paris, London, Tokyo and Stockholm. Nitsche died in 1998.

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See Source/Links below.

Source/Links: Artwork Originals: Erik Nitsche
Contributor: Teddy Kaufman (January 2008)