Baumann was first a goatherd in Arth and then made an apprenticeship as a tailor. Finally, he was a respected master tailor in Gersau and Brunnen. He devoted himself more and more to the construction of relief models, neglecting his tailoring. Financial hardship forced him to sell his large relief model of Goldau. He made other smaller relief models, which he exhibited in various places in Switzerland and thus earned his living.

[1] This article bases on Mair, Toni. Grieder, Susanne. Das Landschaftsrelief – Symbiose von Wissenschaft und Kunsthandwerk. Mit Schweizer Reliefkatalog. Verlag hier+jetzt. Baden, Schweiz. 2006. S.154