biographie de Johann Wolfgang BEHL (1918-1998)

Birth place: Berlin, Germany

Addresses: Richmond, VA; Hartford, CT

Profession: Sculptor, educator

Studied: Acad. Fine Art, Berlin, Am. A. Sch., N.Y.; RISD

Exhibited: AIC, 1944 (prize); Milwaukee AI, 1945 (prize); Swarthmore Col.; Plastics USA, Soviet Union, 1960; CAFA, 1961, 1963 & 1964 (prizes); CI, 1964; PAFA, 1964; Fogg Art Mus., Harvard Univ, Cambridge, Mass., 1966; Hemisfair 1968, San Antonio, Tex., 1968; New Britain Mus., 1968 (retrospective); Bertha Schaefer Gal, NYC, 1970s. Other awards: NIAL grant, 1963; Ford Found. Purchase Award, 1964.

Member: CAA; Nat. Sculpture Ctr. (Adv. bd., 1968-); Sculptors Guild (dir., 1972).

Work: PAFA; Addison Gallery Am. Art; Conn. Gen. Ins. Co.; New Britain Mus. Am. Art; Cornell Univ. Commissions: welded cross & bronze stations of the cross, St Timothy Church, West Hartford, Conn., 1961; bronze group of Holy Family, Rectory of St Joseph's Cathedral, Hartford, 1963; welded menorah & eternal light, Temple Beth Sholom, Manchester, Conn., 1964; bronze tabernacle & processional cross, Church of the Resurrection, Wallingford, Conn., 1966; Reredos, Immanuel Lutheran Church, Attleboro, Mass., 1969.

Comments: Preferred media: wood, bronze, stone. Teaching: William & Mary Col., 1945-53; prof. sculpture, Univ. Hartford, 1955-70s.

Sources: WW73; WW47; Exh. cat (New Britain Mus., 1969); "Eye to Eye" (film), WGBH Pub. TV, Boston, 1971.