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Ad Code: 4
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from Auction House Records.
Landscape with Bridge Over a Stream
Artwork images are copyright of the artist or assignee
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Biography from Wickliff & Associates Auctioneers, Inc.:
| “The artistic versatility of Theophilus John Koch is well known.
His artistic achievements included the areas of musical composition and
performance, painting and artistic instruction. T.J. was a
multi-talented individual whose primary focus remained service to God.
T.J. Koch was born on August 24, 1881 in Dusseldorf, Germany, the son
of Georg and Louise Paul Koch. At the age of four, T.J. came to
America with his parents. Georg, who had originally been a
goldsmith by trade, immigrated to America to study theology.
After settling in Springfield, Illinois, Georg studied at the seminary
to become a Lutheran pastor.
Georg eventually accepted a call to a congregation in Evanston,
Indiana. It was here at the age of ten that T.J. helped his
father by playing for the Sunday services. T.J. was confirmed in
1895 and at the request of his mother, he attended the Lutheran
Teacher’s Seminary in Addison, Illinois. He was a member of
Addison’s “Centennial Class”.
His musical interests resulted in friendship with Edward Rechlin.
Rechlin became a renowned concert organist, studying and touring in
Europe and the Americas. Rechlin continually encouraged T.J. to
become a concert performer, but T.J.’s sights were set on full-time
church work. Upon completion of his high school and college
studies at Addision, T.J. accepted his first call to St. Matthew’s
Lutheran Church in Cleveland, Ohio.
While in Cleveland, T.J. served as a classroom teacher, but he was also
able to take advanced musical studies at the Cleveland Conservatory of
Music. It was here that he studied musical performance and
composition under Wilson G. Smith. Smith encouraged T.J. to
become a concert pianist. T.J. declined. After serving St.
Matthew’s for five years, T.J. took a call to St. Peter’s Lutheran
Church in Columbus, Indiana.
In 1913, T.J. married Bertha Scheidt. Bertha and T.J. had twelve
children, ten daughters and two sons. Bertha supported him in his
artistic interests and ventures. She knew he was blessed with
manifest talent, but without her, he never would have had the time to
develop them. She managed the home and budget, giving him the
available time to develop his artistic talents.
T.J.’s interests now became more focused on three primary
threads: Christian education, family, and the arts – painting and
music. These were maintained throughout the rest of his life.
As a self-taught plein-air landscape artist, T.J. studied during the
summers with several prominent artists of the Hoosier Salon residing in
neighboring Brown County, Indiana. These artists included Adolph
Schulz, Will Vawter and T.C. Steele. He also studied with German
artist Thomas Von Dreger. Von Dreger had come to Columbus,
Indiana from Austria to paint the portraits of a local prominent
family. While staying with T.J., Von Dreger encouraged T.J. to
pursue a career as a landscape artist. T.J. again declined this
temptation, as his life priorities were those of a Lutheran
teacher. However, he actively pursued painting in his free
time…..”
Submitted by:
Angela Lawson
Wickliff & Associates Auctioneers, Inc.
Source: “Artistic Expressions, the Art and Musical Compositions
of T.J. Koch” compact disc, insert leaflet, recorded by the Concordia
University, Nebraska Chamber Choir directed by Dr. Kurt von Kampen.
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