×

Recalling Marquette artist Gustave Werner

Gustave Werner. (Photo courtesy of the Marquette Regional History Center)

MARQUETTE — Gustave A. Werner was born in December 1856 in Marquette, the eldest son of Charles Werner and Charlotte Rohl, both immigrants from Berlin. His parents helped establish a thriving German community in Marquette County. As mentioned in last week’s article, in 1853 Mr. Rademaker opened a school for 20 German speaking children in an upstairs room at the Werner home on Spring Street.

In 1860, the family moved to Negaunee Township, where Charles and Charlotte ran a boarding house. By 1870, the family had returned to Marquette and Charles was employed as a painter. Gustave followed his father, becoming a painter. About 1879 Gustave entered a partnership with James E. Trethewey (also a painter) and their office/storefront was located at the corner of Front and Superior streets (now Baraga Avenue).

It appears he went to Chicago in 1881, where he may have received additional training in painting and photography. On Nov. 26, 1884, he married Charlotte Berry, the daughter of Irish immigrants, in Chicago, Illinois. They resided in Chicago for a short period of time and then moved to Waupaca, Wisconsin, where their eldest daughter Charlotte was born in September 1885. Gustave set up a photography studio with S.P. Mosher in Waupaca.

Around 1888-1889, he moved back to Marquette with his wife and daughter and opened a photography studio at the corner of Main and Third streets (now Marquette Wallpaper and Paint). The family soon welcomed three additional children: Florence in August 1891, Arnold in December 1893 and Earl in May 1897. Gustave also operated a second studio in Ishpeming, from 1899-1908.

Gustave worked in three different mediums- photography, painting and sketching. His specialty was photographing the citizenry of Marquette and Ishpeming. He also left a large collection of photographs he took of Presque Isle Park. As an artist, his favorite subject was Lighthouse Point in Marquette, and he was also very interested in other maritime scenes.

This is an example of Werner's work from 1914. (Photo courtesy of the Marquette Regional History Center)

In examining his work, his occupation as a commercial artist is clear. The image of the farm looks like it could be for a newspaper or book illustration. In his paintings and sketches, you can see his work is very delicate, using small brush or pen strokes and probably working very quickly. It is probable that his lake paintings were done on site.

There is a stylistic similarity in both his photography and painting, using partially visible trees on the edge to frame his images. He also made very effective use of background additions to provide life to the images.

Following the death of his wife Charlotte Berry Werner in 1927, he retired from the photography business. His son Arnold and daughter-in-law, Lydia, ran the business until Arnold’s death in 1935. The following year, in June 1936, Gustave was found dead in his car from a heart attack.

Newsletter

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper *
   

Starting at $4.62/week.

Subscribe Today