Franz Ringer (1865 - 1917)

Franz Ringer

Franz Ringer is a German painter, graphic designer and sculptor.

Franz Ringer came from an old Munich family of carpenters. At the age of 20 he traveled to Tyrol and Switzerland, enrolled at the Technical University of Aachen, returned to Munich and worked as an assistant to the sculptor Josef von Kramer (1841-1908) for ten years, which shaped him as a master stylistically and technically.

Ringer was one of the best-known decorative arts artists in Munich at the time, and he artistically designed many restaurants in Bavaria and in Munich. His design projects are extremely varied.

Franz Ringer is also known as the creator of stone and glass beer mugs, which he painted in Art Nouveau, Art Deco or Biedermeier style. The first Ringer mugs to go into production were made by Villeroy & Boch in 1905. These mugs quickly became popular with the public, especially at scheduled conferences and festivals. Ringer worked for many ceramic manufacturers in Germany. In addition to Villeroy & Boch, these included Reinhold Merkelbach, Merkelbach & Wick, Marzi & Remi, Albert Jakob Thewalt and others.