William Mulligan

William Mulligan (* 23. Juli 1838 in Glasgow, Howard County, Missouri, USA; † 23. Juni 1914 in Selma, Fresno County, Kalifornien, USA) war ein amerikanischer Maler, Farmer und Bankdirektor.

Leben

William Mulligans Eltern waren John Mulligan (* 15. Mai 1810 in New York City, NY) und Cecilia, geborene Cabeen (* 17. April 1818). Er war zwei Jahre alt, als sie 1840 von Glasgow in die Heimat der Mutter, nach St. Louis, Missouri zogen. Dort eröffnete der Vater einen Hardware-Shop,^[1] die Mutter starb am 15. Dezember 1852.

William wuchs in St. Louis auf und absolvierte hier seine Schulbildung. Anschließend reiste er für vier Jahre nach Europa, unter anderem nach Frankreich, um sich weiterzubilden. In Düsseldorf schrieb er sich 1857 bis 1859 an der Königlichen Kunstakademie bei dem Professor für Historienmalerei Carl Müller ein.^[2] Er gehörte zum Kreis der amerikanischen Studenten um Emanuel Leutze^[3] und kehrte wie dieser 1859 in die USA zurück. Ein knappes Jahr verbrachte er bei der Familie in St. Louis. Dann beschloss der Vater, nach Kalifornien umzusiedeln. Da es noch keine Eisenbahnverbindung in den Westen der USA gab, fuhr man mit dem Dampfschiff auf der Route um die Südspitze von Südamerika nach Kalifornien, das man 1862 erreichte. Nach einigen Monaten Aufenthalt in San Francisco ließ sich die Familie in Healdsburg, Sonoma County, Kalifornien, nieder; der Vater eröffnete hier einen Hardware-Store Ecke Healdsburg Avenue und Matheson Street.^[4] Er starb am 3. Dezember 1889 in Healdsburg;^[5] das Geschäft wurde von einem Bruder bzw. seinen Söhnen übernommen.

William Mulligan war zunächst im Holzhandel tätig. Am 30. Juli 1868 heiratete er in Healdsburg Margaret Alexander (* 18. Februar 1847 in Healdsburg, † 30. Dezember 1931 in Selma, Kalifornien), die älteste Tochter von Cyrus Alexander (* 1805 in Tioga County, Pennsylvania, † 27. Dezember 1872 auf der „Rancho Sotoyome“), einem der frühesten Siedler und Farmer in Sonoma County, und seiner Ehefrau Rufina, geborene Lucero (* 1830, † 1908). Nach einem Schlaganfall des Schwiegervaters übernahm Mulligan die Verwaltung von dessen Liegenschaften, der „Rancho Sotoyome“ in Alexander Valley.^[6] Der Ehe entstammten zehn Kinder, die alle in Healdsburg geboren wurden. 1870 wurde Mulligan zu einem der Direktoren der Bank von Healdsburg ernannt. Neben anderen Liegenschaften im Alexander Valley erwarb er die 1856 in Betrieb genommene „Geyser Flouring Mill“ östlich von Healdsburg. Als die zwei jüngsten Söhne von Cyrus Alexander, George und Thomas, die Geschäfte der Ranch übernehmen konnten, verlegte Mulligan seinen Wohnsitz auf ein eigenes Anwesen nahe Selma, (gegründet 1893) südöstlich von Fresno, inmitten von Weinbergen. Hier starb er kurz vor seinem 76. Geburtstag.^[7] Seine Witwe, Margaret Mulligan, starb am 30. Dezember 1931 ebenfalls in Selma.

Künstlerische Tätigkeit

In den biographischen Essays zu William Mulligan im Internet wird gelegentlich auch auf seine künstlerische Tätigkeit hingewiesen.^[8] Allerdings werden nur wenige Arbeiten explizit benannt:

The Death of General Lyon, mit William Levin, 1863^[9]

Abbildung: Anita L. Roberts, Savannah G. Roberts: Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield. Civil War Collection. Arcadia Publishing, Charleston, South Carolina, 2012, S. 12.^[10] Ausgestellt: Catalogue of the Forty First Annual Exhibition of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts 1864, No. 235. Death of General Lyon. Levin & Mulligan, St. Louis, Mo.

The Blind Fiddler, ausgestellt: Galerie unter dem Russ House, San Francisco, 1864^[11]
The Dying Drummer Boy, erwähnt: Marc Twain: A Promising Artist. In: The San Francisco Daily Morning Call, 6. September 1864.

Archivalien

William Mulligan, Margaret Alexander’s husband, Fotografie (um 1860): The Healdsburg Museum & Historical Society, Katalog Nummer 561-3 (https://healdsburg.pastperfectonline.com/bysearchterm?keyword=portrait&page=91)
Margaret Alexander Mulligan, 83 yrs old, Cyrus Alexanders oldest daughter, married William Mulligan. Fotografie, 8. Februar 1930: Museum & Historical Society, Catalog Number 561-5.
The Mulligan Family, 1876, Fotografie: The Healdsburg Museum & Historical Society, Catalog Number 561-2^[12]
John Mulligan Family, Fotografie, undatiert: Daughter Laura Mulligan was wife of Andrew Price (not ID’d in photo; perhaps is woman on left in top row by comparing EI2013.22.001 with this photo). John Mulligan was mayor of Healdsburg. Catalog Number EI2013.22.002
Mulligan & Son Hardware Shop, Healdsburg (Ca), Fotografie 1872: https://calisphere.org/ › item

Literatur

Alley, Bowen & Co. (Hrsg.): History of Sonoma County (…). San Francisco 1880 (http://files.usgwarchives.net/ca/sonoma/bios/mulligan350gbs.txt).
William F. Heintz: Grapes and wine in California’s Alexander Valley. A history, including diverse other aspects of the valley’s history dating from 1846. W. F. Heintz, Glen Ellen, California 1979.
Katharina Bott: Deutsche Künstler in Amerika. 1813–1913. Amerikanische Künstler in Deutschland. 1813–1913. Verlag und Datenbank für Geisteswissenschaften, Weimar 1996.
Hans Paffrath / Kunstmuseum Düsseldorf (Hrsg.): Lexikon der Düsseldorfer Malerschule. Band 3. F. Bruckmann, München 1998, ISBN 3-7654-3011-0, Anhang, S. 449.
Sabine Morgen: Die Ausstrahlung der Düsseldorfer Schule nach Amerika im 19. Jahrhundert - Düsseldorfer Bilder in Amerika und amerikanische Maler in Düsseldorf (mit Künstler- und Werkkatalogen auf CD-ROM). Göttinger Beiträge zur Kunstgeschichte, Band 2. Edition Ruprecht, 2008, ISBN 978-3-7675-3059-1: Mulligan, William, S. 395, 396, 407, 417, 422, 713.

Einzelnachweise

↑ St. Louis City Directory 1851, S. 253, MUL-MUR: Mulligan John, copper, tin ware, stoves, &c., 5 s[outh] Main, dw 51
↑ Künstler und Künstlerinnen der Düsseldorfer Malerschule (https://www.kunstpalast.de/ › pdf › Knstlerliste-der-Dsseldorfer-Malerschule)
↑ Barbara S. Groseclose: Emanuel Leutze, 1816–1868. Freedom is The Only King. Smithonian Institution Press, City of Washington 1975, S. 24.
↑ um 1870: „Mulligan & Son“
↑ Jeanne Taylor (Hrsg.): John MULLIGAN, an old and highly respected citizen of Healdsburg, died Tuesday morning at the age of 79 y. He leaves a large family to mourn his loss, among the sons being Deputy County Recorder [Arthur P.] MULLIGAN, of this city. In: The Sonoma Democrat. Santa Rosa, 7. Dezember 1889.
↑ Charles Alexander: The Life and Times of Cyrus Alexander. Dawson’s Bookshop, Los Angeles 1967. (http://www.ourhealdsburg.com/history/alexander.htm)
↑ WILLIAM MULLIGAN DIES AT HIS FRESNO HOME / William Mulligan, a pioneer citizen of Healdsbury, who sometime ago bought land in Fresno county, died at his Fresno home last week. His widow was Miss Margaret Alexander, daughter of the late Cyrus Alexander, of Alexander Valley, near Healdsbury. (…). In: Press Democrat, vol. XLI, No. 140, 14. Juni 1914:
↑ Mr. Mulligan was an artist of rare genius and skill, especially as a portrait painer. In his younger life he spent many years in the capitals and art centers of Europe, where, in addition in winning a high rank as an artist, he mastered several languages. In: Press Democrat, vol. XLI, No. 140, 14. Juni 1914.
↑ Brigadegeneral Nathaniel Lyon war der erste gefallene General der Union im amerikanischen Sezessionskrieg. Er starb am 10. August 1861 nach mehrfacher Verwundung im Alter von 43 Jahren in der Schlacht am Wilson’s Creek.
↑ Civil War, Sketches. This is a photograph of an 1863 original painting entitled „Death of Gen. Lyon.“ It depicts Union General Nathaniel Lyon upon his death. His body is being attended to by his men. 1861–1863 Greene County. 5"x7" copy print Photograph of a painting by William Levin & William Mulligan, distributed by Pettes & Leathe, St. Louis.
↑ Marc Twain: A Promising Artist. In: The San Francisco Daily Morning Call, 6. September 1864 (http://www.twainquotes.com/18640906.html): The large oil painting in the picture store under the Russ House, of the „Blind Fiddler“, is the work of a very promising California artist, Mr. William Mulligan, of Healdsburg, formerly of St. Louis, Mo. In the main, both the conception and execution are good, but the latter is faulty in some of the minor details. Dr. Bellows has a smaller picture, however, by the same artist, which betrays the presence of genius of a high order in the hand that limned it. The subject is a dying drummer boy, half sitting, half reclining, upon the battle field, with his body partly propped upon his broken drum, and his left arm hanging languidly over it. Near him lie his cap and his drum-sticks - unheeded, discarded, useless to him forever more. The dash of blood upon his shirt, the dreamy, away-at home look upon the features, the careless, resigned expression of the nerveless arm, tell the story. The colors in the picture are not gaudy enough to suit the popular taste, perhaps, but they represent nature truthfully, which is better. Mr. Mulligan has demonstrated in every work his hands have wrought, that he is an artist of more than common ability, and he de serves a generous encouragement. One or two of his pictures will probably be exhibited at the Mechanics’ Fair now being held in this city.
↑ Back row: John C. and Arthur Mulligan, Front row: George V., Mercy Mariah Mulligan, Florence, John Mulligan, and Laura Mulligan Price. Grandparents are Mercy and John. One smaller Original (about 4" x 5") and one larger copy (9.7" x 7.8") (George V., John Mulligan, and Laura Price are all buried in Oakmound Cemetery)

Personendaten
NAME	Mulligan, William
ALTERNATIVNAMEN	Mulligan, William M.
KURZBESCHREIBUNG	amerikanischer Maler, Farmer und Bankdirektor
GEBURTSDATUM	23. Juli 1838
GEBURTSORT	Glasgow, Howard County, Missouri, USA
STERBEDATUM	23. Juni 1914
STERBEORT	Selma, Fresno County, Kalifornien, USA

[1] St. Louis City Directory 1851, S. 253, MUL-MUR: Mulligan John, copper, tin ware, stoves, &c., 5 s[outh] Main, dw 51

[2] Künstler und Künstlerinnen der Düsseldorfer Malerschule (https://www.kunstpalast.de/ › pdf › Knstlerliste-der-Dsseldorfer-Malerschule)

[3] Barbara S. Groseclose: Emanuel Leutze, 1816–1868. Freedom is The Only King. Smithonian Institution Press, City of Washington 1975, S. 24.

[4] um 1870: „Mulligan & Son“

[5] Jeanne Taylor (Hrsg.): John MULLIGAN, an old and highly respected citizen of Healdsburg, died Tuesday morning at the age of 79 y. He leaves a large family to mourn his loss, among the sons being Deputy County Recorder [Arthur P.] MULLIGAN, of this city. In: The Sonoma Democrat. Santa Rosa, 7. Dezember 1889.

[6] Charles Alexander: The Life and Times of Cyrus Alexander. Dawson’s Bookshop, Los Angeles 1967. (http://www.ourhealdsburg.com/history/alexander.htm)

[7] WILLIAM MULLIGAN DIES AT HIS FRESNO HOME / William Mulligan, a pioneer citizen of Healdsbury, who sometime ago bought land in Fresno county, died at his Fresno home last week. His widow was Miss Margaret Alexander, daughter of the late Cyrus Alexander, of Alexander Valley, near Healdsbury. (…). In: Press Democrat, vol. XLI, No. 140, 14. Juni 1914:

[8] Mr. Mulligan was an artist of rare genius and skill, especially as a portrait painer. In his younger life he spent many years in the capitals and art centers of Europe, where, in addition in winning a high rank as an artist, he mastered several languages. In: Press Democrat, vol. XLI, No. 140, 14. Juni 1914.

[9] Brigadegeneral Nathaniel Lyon war der erste gefallene General der Union im amerikanischen Sezessionskrieg. Er starb am 10. August 1861 nach mehrfacher Verwundung im Alter von 43 Jahren in der Schlacht am Wilson’s Creek.

[10] Civil War, Sketches. This is a photograph of an 1863 original painting entitled „Death of Gen. Lyon.“ It depicts Union General Nathaniel Lyon upon his death. His body is being attended to by his men. 1861–1863 Greene County. 5"x7" copy print Photograph of a painting by William Levin & William Mulligan, distributed by Pettes & Leathe, St. Louis.

[11] Marc Twain: A Promising Artist. In: The San Francisco Daily Morning Call, 6. September 1864 (http://www.twainquotes.com/18640906.html): The large oil painting in the picture store under the Russ House, of the „Blind Fiddler“, is the work of a very promising California artist, Mr. William Mulligan, of Healdsburg, formerly of St. Louis, Mo. In the main, both the conception and execution are good, but the latter is faulty in some of the minor details. Dr. Bellows has a smaller picture, however, by the same artist, which betrays the presence of genius of a high order in the hand that limned it. The subject is a dying drummer boy, half sitting, half reclining, upon the battle field, with his body partly propped upon his broken drum, and his left arm hanging languidly over it. Near him lie his cap and his drum-sticks - unheeded, discarded, useless to him forever more. The dash of blood upon his shirt, the dreamy, away-at home look upon the features, the careless, resigned expression of the nerveless arm, tell the story. The colors in the picture are not gaudy enough to suit the popular taste, perhaps, but they represent nature truthfully, which is better. Mr. Mulligan has demonstrated in every work his hands have wrought, that he is an artist of more than common ability, and he de serves a generous encouragement. One or two of his pictures will probably be exhibited at the Mechanics’ Fair now being held in this city.

[12] Back row: John C. and Arthur Mulligan, Front row: George V., Mercy Mariah Mulligan, Florence, John Mulligan, and Laura Mulligan Price. Grandparents are Mercy and John. One smaller Original (about 4" x 5") and one larger copy (9.7" x 7.8") (George V., John Mulligan, and Laura Price are all buried in Oakmound Cemetery)

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