The Multidisciplinary Life of Victor Hammer

Born in Vienna, Austria, Victor Hammer was a man of diverse creative pursuits, working as a painter, sculptor, architect, illustrator, goldsmith, mezzotinter, calligrapher, writer, and artist. His formal training began at fifteen with an apprenticeship in architecture under Camillo Sitte, followed by studies at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna. After receiving the Prix de Rome in 1909, his professional journey took him across Europe and eventually to the United States. Hammer was a master of typography, having produced several typefaces, including Hammer Uncial and American Uncial.

His dedication to the art of printing led him to Florence, Italy, where he established the Stamperia del Santuccio in the Villa Santuccio. It was here that he utilized a wooden press, built in 1927 with the assistance of local Florentine craftsmen, to print works such as Milton's Samson Agonistes. His life was marked by significant transitions, including fleeing the Nazis in 1939 to settle in the United States, where he taught at Wells College in Aurora, New York, before eventually residing in Lexington, Kentucky.

Artistic Legacy and Contributions

Throughout his career, Hammer’s influence extended into civic design and academic instruction. While living in Kentucky, he designed the official seal of Louisville and the University of Louisville seal, the latter featuring a portrait of Minerva. His academic contributions included serving as a professor at the Akademie der Bildenden Künste in Vienna and acting as an artist-in-residence at Transylvania University.

Hammer’s personal life was closely intertwined with his professional endeavors, particularly through his marriage to Carolyn Reading. Together, they were involved in the world of rare books and printing, with their equipment eventually finding a home at the University of Kentucky's M. I. King Library. His artistic output was vast, ranging from the design of chapels to the hand-printing of first editions, such as the work of Thomas Merton.