Tina Haim-Wentscher facts for kids

Tina Haim-Wentscher (born December 17, 1887 – died April 21, 1974) was a talented German-Australian sculptor. She created many amazing artworks, including copies of the famous Nefertiti bust. Her life was full of travel and challenges, but she always continued her art.

Tina Haim-Wentscher's Life Journey

Tina Haim-Wentscher was born in 1887 in Constantinople, which is now Istanbul, Turkey. Her father, David Leon Haim, was a merchant from Serbia, and her mother, Rebecca Mondolfo, was from Italy. Her family was part of the Turkish-Sephardi Jews community.

Early Life and Art Studies

Tina's family moved to Vienna, Austria, and then to Berlin, Germany, in 1893. In Berlin, she began to study sculpture. From 1907 to 1908, she attended the Lewin-Funcke-School in Charlottenburg. After her studies, she opened her very own art studio.

From 1912 to 1914, Tina studied art in Paris, France. Her sculptures caught the eye of a very famous sculptor named Auguste Rodin. This was a big achievement for her! She also showed her first sculpture, a bust of her sister, at an exhibition by the Berlin Secession, a group of artists. Tina also became good friends with another well-known sculptor, Käthe Kollwitz.

Marriage and World Travels

In 1914, Tina married a painter from Berlin named Julius Wentscher. They loved to travel and learn about art from different cultures. Starting in 1921, they went on study trips to Greece, Italy, and Egypt.

In 1931 and 1932, they took a longer trip to Bali and Java in Indonesia. Tina was also a member of the Association of Berlin artists from 1927 to 1931.

Escaping Danger and New Beginnings

In 1933, Tina and Julius decided not to go back to Germany. Their friend Käthe Kollwitz advised them that it was becoming dangerous for Jewish people there. So, they stayed in China (1932–1933) and Indonesia (1933–1934). They also lived in Thailand (around 1935–1936), Cambodia, Singapore (1936–1937), and Malaysia (1936–1940).

When World War II began in 1940, Tina and Julius were sent to Australia. They were considered "Enemy Aliens" because they were German. They were held in a camp in Tatura, Victoria, until 1942.

After they were released, they settled in Melbourne, Australia. In 1946, they became Australian citizens and changed their last name to "Wentcher." Tina joined the Melbourne Society of Women Painters and Sculptors. In 1958, she won the "Interstate Sculptors Prize" in Newcastle, New South Wales.

Tina also did charity work for the Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne. This led to a close friendship with Dame Elisabeth Murdoch, who was a kind helper of many causes and the mother of media owner Rupert Murdoch. Tina Haim-Wentcher passed away in Melbourne in 1974 when she was 87 years old.

Tina Haim-Wentscher's Artistic Creations

Tina Haim-Wentscher was known for her detailed and beautiful sculptures. She created many important pieces throughout her life.

Replicas of the Nefertiti Bust

In 1920, an art supporter named Henri James Simon gave the Egyptian Museum of Berlin many items, including the famous Nefertiti bust. This bust is a very well-known sculpture of the ancient Egyptian queen Nefertiti.

In 1913, Heinrich Schäfer, the museum director, asked Tina Haim to make a very accurate copy of the bust. She made two copies out of a special artificial stone for German Emperor Wilhelm II and James Simon. In the early 1920s, Tina made another model of the Nefertiti bust. This model was used for many years to create all the other copies of the bust.

Art for the Empire Exhibition

Tina Haim-Wentscher and her husband also worked together on a special project. They designed the art for the Malaysian pavilion at the Empire Exhibition, Scotland 1938 in Glasgow. They created ten dioramas, which are like 3D scenes. These dioramas had life-size stone figures placed in front of painted landscapes.

Where to See Her Sculptures

You can find Tina Haim-Wentscher's sculptures in many important art galleries. Some of these include the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne, the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra, and the Art Gallery of New South Wales in Sydney. Her work is also displayed at the Art Gallery of Western Australia in Perth, the Art Gallery of Ballarat, and the McClelland Sculpture Park and Gallery in Langwarrin, Victoria.

Selected Works by Tina Haim-Wentscher

Here are some of the sculptures Tina Haim-Wentscher created during different periods of her life.

The Levison grave sculpture in Hamburg.

Works Made in Germany (Before 1931)

• Nefertiti bust (replica) 1913, made of plaster, found at the Staatliche Museen zu Berlin.
• Bust of Adolf Erman 1915, made of bronze, located at the Staatliche Museen zu Berlin – Preußischer Kulturbesitz, Nationalgalerie.
• The Violinist Bronisław Huberman 1916, made of bronze, at the Staatliche Museen zu Berlin.
• Grave sculpture Levison 1923, found at Ohlsdorf Cemetery, Hamburg.
• Bust of Käthe Kollwitz 1926, made of clay-marl, at the Staatliche Museen zu Berlin.
• Bust of James Simon 1931, made of bronze, at the Leo Baeck Institut, LBI Art Collection, New York City.
• Head of a Besharin Boy (Bessarabian Boy) 1929, made of pewter, at the National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne.

Works Made in Southeast Asia (1931—1947)

• Balinese Woman around 1932, made of wax, at the National Gallery of Australia, Canberra.
• Indonesian Boy around 1932, made of ceramic, at the University of Melbourne.
• Bust of Gao Qifeng, at the Hong Kong Heritage Museum.
• Indonesian Dancer Squatting around 1934, made of bronze, at Old Parliament House, Singapore (a plaster version is at McClelland Sculpture Park and Gallery, Melbourne).
• Relief Portrait of the Sultan KGPAA Mangkunegara VII and his wife 1934, at Mangkunegara Palace, Solo, Indonesia.
• Tamil Boy 1937, made of bronze, at Geelong Art Gallery, Australia.

Works Made in Australia (After 1947)

• Sir Daryl Lindsay 1943, made of plaster, at the Art Gallery of Ballarat.
• The Spirit of Classical Greece 1945, made of plaster, at the University of Melbourne.
• Mother and Child around 1950, made of walnut wood, at McClelland Sculpture Park and Gallery, Melbourne.
• Lelong Dancer, Bali 1953, made of lead, at the Art Gallery of Western Australia.
• Head of Hephzibah Menuhin 1953, made of plaster, at Haileybury College, Melbourne.
• Young Foal 1954, made of bronze, at the Art Gallery of New South Wales.
• Jacaranda 1957, made of wood, at Newcastle Region Art Gallery.

Exhibitions

Tina Haim-Wentscher's work has been featured in special art shows:

• 1987: Tina Wentcher 1887–1974: A Centennial Exhibition, held in Melbourne.
• 2017: Tina Haim – Tina Haim-Wentscher – Tina Wentcher Sculptor: 1887–1974, held at the McClelland Sculpture Park and Gallery.

See also

• List of German women artists