Paul Wagner Roth

The Gallery seeks a artwork by Paul Wagner Roth. Contact: info@GalleryofWisconsinArt.com

BORN: Sept. 6, 1877 in Pittsburgh, PA

DIED: Sept. 10, 1966 in Milwaukee, WI

Brief History of Paul Wagner Roth, Pastor and Painter; Pulpit and Palette

Paul Roth's family history in America began when Johann Roth came to Bethlehem, PA in 1756 to join the Moravian Mission to the Lenni Lenape Indians and began a 5 generation heritage of ministry.

Paul Wagner Roth was born in 1877 in Monaca, PA.

His aunt Johannah, noted young Paul Wagner’s aptitude for drawing and encouraged him by supplying watercolors and brushes. Another Aunt Hannah, gifted him with extended study abroad after graduation from Thiel College in 1895.

He spent two years in Europe studying philosophy at Leipzig University, and travelled to Germany, France, and Italy making notes on technique, sketching, and studying art. Upon his return home he attended Chicago Theological Seminary and in 1903 was ordained as a Lutheran minister.

Pr. Roth served as Chaplain at Milwaukee Hospital, then as pastor in Illinois and Michigan. Returning to Milwaukee, he served as Senior Pastor of the Lutheran Church of the Epiphany for 35 years.

In 1921 he was invited by Dudley Crafts Watson, Director of the Art Institute of Milwaukee (later Director of the Chicago Art Institute), to exhibit a group of paintings for an exhibition at the Art Institute of Milwaukee. Twenty-five of the twenty-six paintings were sold. Sometime after, he was commissioned by The Schroeder hotel chain to supply 2-4 paintings a year for their hotels

His paintings are in the style of the American Impressionists of the early 1900’s. His media included watercolors, oils, and pastels and reflected his love of the land, forests, and lakes. 

As noted by his son, Frederick; “He allowed me to watch him paint, which fascinated me, but on condition that I do not talk. As his pastels wore down to small scraps he would grind them into powder in a little white ceramic mortar and, with egg white as a binder, fashioned his own blend of color. His palate of pastels was a thing to behold; hundreds of hues of color of the most subtle gradation. Scattered about his easel on side tables were stiff brushes, “stobs” of soft rolled blotting paper, scraps of chamois - all tools for manipulating the pastel strokes.”

Pastor Roth's ministry was of primary importance. Regretfully, in 1931 an anonymous parishioner sent him a letter. The letter accused him of neglecting his congregation for his artwork - so he stopped painting altogether.

From 1918 until his retirement in 1953, his parish flourished from 400 to 1800 congregants, and was distinguished for its benevolent stewardship and support of world missions. 

Bio and photo by grandson of the artist, Stephen Roth, Feb. 2024