Benjamin Zobel facts for kids
Benjamin Zobel (born September 21, 1762 – died October 24, 1830) was a talented German-British artist. He is famous for inventing a special art technique called sandpainting, also known as marmotinto. You can find examples of his unique sandpaintings in museums like the Victoria and Albert Museum in London and Dundurn Castle in Canada.
Quick facts for kids
Benjamin Zobel
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| Born |
Benjamin Zobel
21 September 1762 |
| Died | 24 October 1830 (aged 68) |
Contents
Benjamin Zobel: The Sand Artist
Early Life and Royal Pastry Chef
Benjamin Zobel was born in Memmingen, Germany, on September 21, 1762. His family lived and ran a pastry business there. Benjamin learned to be a pastry chef from his father, Johann Georg Zobel. By the age of 20, Benjamin was a "master pastry-chef," meaning he was very skilled at making pastries.
Soon after, he left Germany. He spent two years in Amsterdam before moving to London, England. In London, Benjamin started working for King George III as a master pastry chef. King George III was German-speaking, which might have helped Benjamin get the job.
Inventing Sandpainting
Benjamin Zobel was not only a great pastry chef but also a gifted artist. At the royal court, he was asked to create beautiful table decorations. These were often made using colored sugars on silver platters for royal banquets. He would create figures like flowers, animals, or fruit. After the meal, the sugar decorations would simply be swept away.
King George III suggested that Benjamin make pictures that would last longer. This idea led Benjamin Zobel to develop his special sandpainting technique. He used colored sand and glued it onto wood or thick paper. Many of Benjamin Zobel's sandpaintings show animals and country scenes. These were similar to the paintings of his friend George Morland, another artist of that time. The Isle of Wight in England was well-known for having many different colors of sand, which Benjamin likely used. Benjamin Zobel died in London.
A Family of Artists
Benjamin Zobel's son, George James Jenkins Zobel (1811–1881), also became a noted artist. His great-great-uncle, Elias Zobel (1677–1718), was also a famous artist from Memmingen, Germany.
