People

An Art Deco "Ruralist"

Kaspar Albrecht (1889-1970) gained a living as an artist with commissions large and small, both at home in the Bregenzerwald region of Austria and abroad. His special sojourn to the Village of Kohler resulted in not only an exquisitely crafted building, the Waelderhaus, dedicated to the memory of John Michael Kohler, but also, resulted in a body of work as unique and resilient as the artist himself.

“Born in Au, in the Bregenzerwald, I attended a one-class Public School. While attending and after leaving it, I was forced to look for employment, being the oldest of seven brothers and sisters. I was a laborer, hired man and shepherd on the Alps.”
- An excerpt from an Autobiography written July 26, 1931.

With an academic approach and a “rural” art deco feel, artist Kaspar Albrecht carves a lasting impression around the Village of Kohler.

When considering a visit to the Village of Kohler, Wisconsin one may not immediately conjure images of Art Deco design elements most often associated with the 1920s and 1930s genre. However, Kaspar Albrecht, the Austrian Architect and Sculptor responsible for the building design of Waelderhaus between 1929–1931, as well as various carvings, woodcuts, reliefs, stained glass and iron and pewter works, has something of a “rural” Art Deco feel to them. Unlike the German Baroque techniques the Bregenzerwald region tends to be associated with, Kaspar’s work offers a nod to modernity, geometry and a flair for the times.

Kohler of Kohler News Cover Art

Kohler of Kohler News Cover Art Over the years, Albrecht’s work has graced the covers of the monthly “Kohler of Kohler News” publication. His first cover featured the 1931 Demonstration Home in the Village of Kohler with a rural deer motif inspired by the home’s natural surroundings. And the last cover, a color reproduction of the hand-woven tapestry at the Waelderhaus, by request of Marie Kohler, was produced by Lorentz Kleiser after a drawing by Kaspar Albrecht depicting Joan of Arc, girl heroine of history. The inscription on the tapestry reads, “Love Asks Faith and Faith Asks Firmness.”

A Piano, Drinking Fountains and Stained Glass

Various commissions and requests for sketches followed, including a panel in the entry of the Appley Theatre and the wood carving of Old Abe, along with sketches created for the entry to the Village of Kohler cemetery, which ultimately did not come to fruition, as well as a request for sketches and designs for a bandstand.

Religious Iconography

Religious iconography was also ever present in his woodcuts, including the nativity scene on display at Waelderhaus.