Berthold Faust Explained

Berthold Faust is a German artist (b. 1935, Hofheim am Taunus), noted especially for his realistic and detailed drawings of nature and animals. To achieve accuracy in the tiniest detail, he uses specimens prepared by museums, photographs, and even microscopes.^[1] Formative in his career was the private training he received from Ludwig Meidner,^[2] who was associated with the Hofheimer Künstlerkreis, a group of artists associated with Hofheim.^[3]

Career

Berthold Faust originally trained as a printer and typographer. For a number of years after completing his studies and practical training, he worked in three different ad agencies in Frankfurt, first for four years as a layout assistant, then for seven years as art director, and finally for two years as a creative director. All this time he studied painting privately, with Josef Faust, Oswald Fach, Wilhelm Görlich, and Ludwig Meidner. Dissatisfied with the world of advertising and the lack of personal involvement in his work,^[4] he sought solace in nature and in 1974 he became a full-time independent illustrator.^[5]

While at first he was noted for his illustrations of the historic city of Hofheim,^[5] he quickly turned to the natural world and especially birds; the 1970s proved a good time, given the resurgence of interest in nature in Germany.^[6] Faust's 1977 publication Rettet die Vögel ("Save the birds") was a German bestseller.^[7] Since then he has illustrated many books aimed at the education about and preservation of nature. Faust's work has been exhibited many times, and in 1995 his exhibition Natur in Portraits—Bilder von Berthold Faust traveled Germany. He is considered one of the most important illustrators of nature in Germany^[8] whose illustrations are frequently used (and whose opinions sought) in newspaper stories about threatened species.^[9]

Selected bibliography

• Rettet die Vögel (Gütersoh: Horst Stern, 1977)
• Rettet die Wildtiere (Stuttgart: Rudolf Schreiber, 1980)
• Rettet die Frösche (Stuttgart: Rudolf Schreiber, 1983)
• Naturschutz in der Gemeinde. Praktischer Ratgeber für Jedermann, with Claus-Peter Hutter and others (Stuttgart, 1985)
• Wunderland am Wegesrand, with Claus-Peter Hutter (Stuttgart: Thienemann, 1988)^[1]
• Schützt die Reptilien Claus-Peter Hutter (Stuttgart/Vienna, 1994)
• Wo Tiere und Pflanzen leben: Unsere Lebensräume entdecken, with Ulrich Schmid (Stuttgart, 2006)

Selected exhibitions

• Bonn, Museum Koenig, 1981^[10]
• Middelhagen, Natur in Portraits—Bilder von Berthold Faust, 1995^[11]
• Berchtesgaden, Natur in Portraits—Bilder von Berthold Faust, 1995^[12]
• Hofheim, Stadtmuseum, Sehenswerte Natur, 1996^{[6] [8] [13]}

Notes and References

1. News: Jourdan . Werner . Leben auf Papier: Berthold Faust zeichnet Wunderwerke nach der Natur . Sonntag-Aktuell . German . 1988-02-14 .
2. News: Köthe . Rainer . Zeichnen für den Artenschutz: Der Naturzeichner Berthold Faust möchte mit seiner Kunste Tiere retten . Kosmos . 62 . April 1995 .
3. Book: Refugium: Künstleraufenthalte in Hofheim und im Taunus. Stadtmuseum Hofheim am Taunus, 25-11-2001-3.3.2002 . Stadtmuseum . 2001 . Hofheim am Taunus . 3-933735-22-X.
4. News: Bolwin . Johannes . Einmal Kühlkopf aus Karton in 200 Stunden: Der Naturzeichner Berthold Faust aus der Taunus . Rhein Main Presse Journal . 5 . German . 1995-09-23 .
5. News: Berthold Faust stellt aus: Schon als Junge mahlte er Alt-Hofheim . . German . 1976-12-11 .
6. News: Dehl . Jürgen . Als der Kuckuck in Hofheim verhungerte: Berthold Faust: Detailversessener Mahler und engagierter Naturschützer . Höchster Kreisblatt . German . 1996-05-18 .
7. News: Freude mit Kunst--zwölfmal im Jahr . Kranich . 62–63 . German . 1986 .
8. News: Bilder bedrohte Lebensräume: Hofheimer Stadtmuseum zeigt Arbeiten von Berthold Faust . . German . 1996-05-18 .
9. A 1995 article from the Frankfurter Rundschau cites his opinion and uses a drawing of his in a story on the kingfisher. News: Kuhn . Stefan . Starr späht er nach Fischen oder Wasserinsekten: Am Erlenbach lebt der seltene und pittoreske Eisvogel, aber Naturschützer warnen vor Störungen . . 1 . German . 1995-04-20 .
10. News: Gibt es im Jahr 2000 etwa 600.000 Tier- und Pflanzenarten weniger? Ausstellung von Tierzeichnungen im Museum Koenig eröffnet . Bonner General-Anzeiger . German . 1981-11-13 .
11. News: 'Ein Maler rebelliert leise': Ausstellung 'Natur in Portraits' in Middelhagen eröffnet . . German . 1995-07-22 .
12. News: Sensibel machen für den Schutz der Umwelt: Die Bilder des Naturmalers Berthold Faust im Nationalpark-Haus . . 8 . German . 1995-12-18 .
13. News: Auf seinen Bildern stehen die Tiere Spalier: Berthold Faust zeigt 'Sehenswerte Natur' im Stadtmuseum Hofheim/Sein Gedächtnis ist Fundus für seine Arbeit . . German . 1996-05-18 .