John Kirchmayer was a German-born American woodcarver whose works could be found in many prominent cities. His career was associated for some time with Irving and Casson, furniture making and architectural woodworking firm.
Background
John Kirchmayer was born on March 31, 1860 in Oberammergau, Bavaria, Germany. According to his own story, he took part in the Passion Play at Oberammergau, something the whole town participated in every year. He had the role of Joseph in the play and this play made the great influence on him in his early life. John was the son of John Kirchmayer and he plausibly told others, that his father was a revolutionist and a "realistic" wood-carver, one who made souvenirs for tourists, and that he himself began to carve in his father's shop at six years.
Education
John was trained in sculpture in Germany. He learned to make pottery with the Langs and he had drawing lessons at the village school, his teacher nominating him successfully for a scholarship at Munich. He later had training and professional employment at Paris and London.
Career
Kirchmayer emigrated to the United States about 1880. Arriving at New York, he was specially befriended by Stanford White. Cram described his appearance at Boston about 1895, "a big, raw-boned, heavily bearded Bavarian. " Architects then desperately needed intelligent and inspired artist craftsmen. Kirchmayer, creative and productive, one of the indubitably great artists of his era, found abundant encouragement from Henry Vaughan, from Cram, Goodhue & Ferguson, and other architects, and from the management of the Boston Society of Arts and Crafts of which he became a master craftsman. After 1898, he was employed for wages by Irving & Casson and W. F. Ross & Company, and worked on the buildings of the noted American Gothic-revivalist Ralph Adams Cram.
In middle life Kirchmayer gave up journeyman's work and took at his unpretentious home, 379 Cambridge St. , East Cambridge, only such commissions as he cared to execute. Many of his carvings were made for "Cranbrook, " the country home of George G. Booth, publisher of the Detroit (Michigan) News. His studio for some years was in his kitchen to which only a few intimates were admitted. A devout Catholic by rearing and profession he had a mystical philosophy which animates his exquisite panels and detached figures. A contest over his will brought into print in 1930-1931 peculiarities of his daily life which must interest students of abnormal psychology. Asserting himself a thorough American, devoted to American institutions, he frequently acclaimed his "American Gothic" as his own special contribution to American civilization.
Achievements
Kirchmayer became one of the most remarkable sculptors in wood since Veit Stoss and Tillmann Riemenschneider. He produced such notable carvings as the great reredos of St. Paul's Cathedral, Detroit; the doors and other decorations of the Henry H. Rogers Memorial Church, Fairhaven, Massachussets; important carvings at St. Paul's School, Concord, New Hampshire. ; Madonna and Child, All Saints' Church, Boston; the St. Patrick reredos, St. Vincent Ferrer Church, New York; St. Augustine of Hippo, Washington Cathedral; mantel wood sculptures at the United States Military Academy, West Point, and many more. His latest ecclesiastic works were the reredos of All Saints' Church, Peterboro, New Hampshire.
Kirchmayer received the “Craftsmanship Medal for Distinguished Achievement in Wood Carving” by the American Institute of Architects.
Membership
Kirchmayer was member of the Society of Arts and Crafts in Boston.
Connections
Kirchmayer married Frances Leclair in 1904. In 1929 he married his second wife, Elizabeth Burdett, of Florida, to whom he left his property except such of his unsold carvings as she might give to the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. This will, after considerable publicity had been given to the testator's personal characteristics, was settled by compromise out of court.
