John Walz

John Walz (31 August 1844 – 27 November 1922) was a German-American sculptor most famous for his works created in Savannah, Georgia, United States.

Early life John Walz was born 31 August 1844 in Württemberg, Germany, to John and Elizabeth Walz. There, he worked for eight years as a stonecutter, saving money to return to Europe for his education. Walz studied sculpting in Paris under the direction of Aimé Millet and in Vienna under the direction of Viktor Oskar Tilgner. In 1885, Walz returned to the United States.

Life in Savannah

Carl Ludwig Brandt, the director of Telfair Academy, in Savannah, Georgia, commissioned Walz's employer to create the statues that stand in front of the Academy. In 1886, Walz accompanied the statues to Savannah. He fell in love with the city, deciding to stay and open his own studio.

Gracie Watson

One of Walz's most notable works is the monument he created for Gracie Watson. Gracie Watson was the only daughter of W. J. Watson and his wife, Frances. She became ill with pneumonia and died in 1889 at age six. The year after her death, W. J. Watson took a photograph of Gracie to Walz, requesting a memorial to her. Walz sculpted a lifelike monument of a pensive Gracie lost in thought.

Personal life Walz married Sarah Gilmore in 1907 at the age of 63. and was interred at Bonaventure Cemetery. His grave was not initially marked by a memorial: a simple wooden sign indicated his grave until the Bonaventure Historical Society commissioned a monument for it. Bonaventure Cemetery also has a street named Walz Way in honor of him.