Biografie von Louis KURZ (1835-1921)

Birth place: Salzburg, Austria

Death place: Chicago, IL

Addresses: Chicago, IL, and Milwaukee, WI

Profession: Lithographer, mural and scene painter

Work: State Hist. Soc. of Wisconsin; Chicago Hist. Soc.; LOC; NYPL; Milwaukee Hist. Soc.; Muhlenberg Col., Allentown, PA

Comments: Born Ludovicus Ferdinandus Josephus Kurz von Goldenstein, he came to America in 1848 and in 1853 joined his family in Chicago, where he began his career as a scene painter. He began to do lithographic work during the 1850s in Milwaukee (WI) and was associated there with Henry Seifert (see entry). He returned to Chicago and founded the Chicago Lithographic Company (1864-71). During the 1870s he founded and headed the American Oleograph Company in Milwaukee. In 1878 he returned to Chicago for good, and two years later entered into partnership with Alexander Allison until at least 1899, producing chromolithographs, their best-known production being a group of 36 battle scenes of the Civil War (1884-94). He and Allison were often referred to as the Currier and Ives of the Midwest. He was also well-known for a series of 52 views of Chicago for Jevne and Almini's Chicago Illustrated (1866), which was printed by the Chicago Lithographing Co. (1865-71). The latter company was one of his own, although not bearing his name. Yet another of his companies, the American Oleograph Co. (1872-78), printed chromolithograps of European subjects in the manner of Prang. Kurz was one of the founders of the AIC and a personal friend of Pres. Lincoln. Also appears as Emil Kurz.

Sources: G&W; Kent, "Early Commercial Lithography in Wisconsin," 249-50; Angle, "Jevne and Almini," 313-16; Peters, America on Stone; Art Annual, XVIII, obit.; Thieme-Becker, Album of American Battle Art, 272 (as Emil Kurz). See especially the more recent article by Thomas Beckman, "Louis Kurz: Early Years," Imprint vol. 7, no. 2 (Spring 1982): 14-25 (this article corrects previously published errors on Kurz, including his birthdate)