Christian Philipp Wolff

He was born to Johann Wilhelm Wolff (1725–1784), the valet and court tailor of Waldeck, and his wife Anna Elisabeth Christina, née Sude (died 1790), from Heringhausen. He attended school in Bad Arolsen, then completed an apprenticeship with the court sculptor Friedrich Valentin. After 1797, he worked as a sculptor in Neustrelitz, the royal capital of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. In 1809, he married Maria Christiane Wilhelmine Siemers, daughter of the Chief Forester. They had four children, one of whom, Albert, also became a sculptor. In 1811, his death mask of Queen Louise was used by his friend, Christian Daniel Rauch, to create the Queen's grave monument. At that time, his occupation was "construction manager". After 1816, he was a Master Builder; then the official Court Builder. He was a Freemason and a co-founder of the St. Johannis Lodge, "Zum Friedensbunde" (peace alliance) in Neubrandenburg. He died while working in Berlin, and was succeeded as Court Builder by Friedrich Wilhelm Buttel. In the 1820s, his designs were used to rebuild the Palais Neubrandenburg.