Artist/Maker

Vogler, Elias Alexander

Place Made

Date Made

1845-1850

Medium

watercolor on ivory –gold

Dimensions

HOA 1 7/8; WOA 1 3/8

Accession Number

2104

Description

Miniature on ivory of boy, facing forward, brown hair combed forward, blue eyes, fair complexion, wearing a white shirt folded over a black neck band, with blue vest (red striped) and brown coat, with stippled background.

History

Mrs. Kern stated that her mother, from whom she received the miniature, said that it was of Augustus Nathanael Reich, born 1823. The miniature is attributed to Elias Vogler by Dr. Albright. It could not, therefore, be Augustus, as Elias would have been about 5 when he painted same. Since the miniature was aquired by Mrs. Kern’s mother from the Reich family, it is probable that it is a later child of the same parents. The miniature dates, in style of clothing, etc., c. 1845-1850.
Elias Alexander Vogler (1825-1878), son of silversmith John Vogler, was a talented artist himself. Elias was born in Salem but traveled to Nazareth, Pennsylvania, at the age of fourteen to study at the prestigious Moravian boys’ school, Nazareth Hall. There he perfected his drawing and painting skills. Although we do not know exactly who taught Elias Vogler the art of miniature painting, in a letter written by Francis Shober from Salem to his brother Charkes Shober (in Bethlehem,PA), Francis writes, “Louisa is getting taken in a different way (painted) by Elias Vogler who learned it under a certain person who was here.” (March 1, 1844, letter filed with Shober Papers)
Once he returned to Salem, Elias worked at various times as a silversmith, architect, sign painter, cartographer, and he owned a retail shop. The miniatures he painted survive as a testament to his skill at capturing likenesses.

Artist Biography

ARTIST: “Elias Vogler, the son of the prominent Salem silversmith John Vogler, was also a respected Salem citizen whose natural talents were often demonstrated in the arts. He had a varied career: artist, architect, several terms as mayor of Salem, member of the Aufseher Collegium, retail business man, silversmith, cartographer, sign painter, and miniature painter…Elias parents introduced him to the fine art of painting as early as the age of six, when his family made an extended journey to the north, visiting, among other sites, the museums and galleries of Philadelphia and the collection of paintings by Charles Byrd King in Washington. At the age of fourteen, he was sent to the Moravian school in Lititz, Pennsylvania, where he learned drawing; a perspective pencil drawing of the square in Lititz attests to his skills. He also painted a scene of Salem Square in the snow (acc. P-455), which was subsequently printed by the Philadelphia lithographer P.S. Duval…Examples of Elias’ abilities as an architect, cartographer, and sign painter still exist, but his talent as a miniature painter deserves special attention. The only evidence that he was actually taught the art of miniature portraiture is found in a letter from a Salem schooolboy, Francis Shober, to his brother Charles, who was in school in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, in March 1844: [We received your miniature with Louis Winckler, and I think it is a very good resemblance of you. Mother thinks it so tolerable and Father like myself. Louisa is getting taken in a different way (painted) by Elias Vogler, who learned it under a certain person who was here.] Unfortunately it has not yet been determined who the person was who instructed Elias in the fine art of watercolor portrait painting on ivory.” (John Bivins, Jr. and Paula Welshimer. MORAVIAN DECORATIVE ARTS IN NORTH CAROLINA: AN INTRODUCTION TO THE OLD SALEM COLLECTION. Winston-Salem, NC: Old Salem, Incorporated, 1981, p.101-103)