Johann Peter Kaufmann, a sculptor, was born on February 16, 1764, in Reuthe im Bregenzerwald and died on August 2, 1829, in Weimar. He was born into a humble family and trained as a wood sculptor in Alsace before going to France and Rome for further training. Kaufmann became a court sculptor in Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach in 1817 with the support of Ferdinand Jagemann, succeeding Carl Gottlieb Weisser. He created several works in Weimar, including the pediment at the Lion Fighter Portal, the stone figure group of the Templars of the Tempelherrenhaus, and the west pediment of the Roman House.
He also made busts of several notable individuals, such as Carl August and Maria Pavlovna, and was held in high esteem by Goethe. Kaufmann created the bust of Maximilian I in the Valhalla in Regensburg in 1811 and was active in restoration work in the workshop of Christian Daniel Rauch starting in 1824. His works include a portrait sculpture of Angelika Kaufmann and the Pietà in the church in his birthplace of Reuthe.