Alice Muntell ?

Alice Muntell (poss. Munsell) ?

This small (12 x 15 cm.) lithographically printed red pencil or red chalk drawing of a reading women in Victorian dress, comfortably propped up by several pillows, was recently found as local car boot loot. No TV, no cell phone, no "social media" (I fail to understand the meaning of the word" social" in this context, creating obviously rather anti-social behaviour in recent generations). 

It was printed on older (18-19th century) paper (there's a regular grid visible) and in the margin someone scribbled a name. A nice drawing, and a nice puzzle.   

All help to identify the (supposedly) artist (the name mentioned could of course also refer to the sitter), would be very welcomed. 

Gijsbertus Jan van Koppenhagen

Gijsbertus Jan van Koppenhagen 

(the Hague 1909 - 1977 the Hague)

Dutch graphic artist and academy teacher 

Although he taught for 40 years at the Hague Art Academy (Akademie voor Beeldende Kunsten), after studying there 1927-1931, my research into the biography of this hardly known Dutch printmaker delivered hardly any facts. No direct links (parents) to his family that seems to originate mainly from the Arnhem region. The use of first name Gijsbert in this family dates back for centuries. (He is also known as Gijs van K. or Bert van K.)  

This print titled "Hengelaartje" (fisherman) dated 1931 so in the year he graduated from his training and printed on thin Japan paper, is stylishly somewhat reminding of prints by better known printmaker Dirk Hidde Nijland. It popped up in a local sale recently. 

Van Koppenhagen later (from the 1960's ?) seems to have turned his interest and style to abstract geometric compositions executed in linocut print of which I found several in the internet.  

He married in 1935 Meintje (Hermine Wilhelmina) de Wolff who was born in Tegal (Java) in Indonesia in 1911. She had been also a student in the Hague Academy and is said to have worked in her native Tegal too. She is known as painter and sculptrice. As an artist she also remains very obscured: no genealogical or biographical data and hardly any examples (below, attributed to her) of her work. Both artists were member of the Hague artist association "Pulchri Studio".

Begonia's and tabacco plant 

 All pictures borrowed freely from the Internet for friendly, educational and non commercial use only.

All further information would be very welcomed.      

Small treasures, gems shared.

Sorting and organising "other stuff" collected over the years selecting prints for the book and going over piles of paper waiting for identification, restoration and conservation, I selected these various prints for sharing and possible identification. 

I

Almost certain French print, possibly used as book illustration. Possible leading words: "Bergère, Chèvre, Bouc" (Shepherd, goat, buck). Very nice and clever composition and use of claire-obscure.  

II

Found in the Netherlands, although possibly of German origin; 1920's (?) Exceptional and intriguing choice of motiv. A century later "black men" (men of African genetic origin) depicted like this by our grandparents would cause raised eye brows and considered "inappropriate, not done and controversial". A cabaret, brothel or bar scene ?

Lower left the faded signature R (or K) Ta....... . Lower right: Epreuve Artiste (artist proof)

III  

19th century chromolithographic print: (Victorian) reclining nude. Not a Paul Sieffert (1874-1957) painting but bought for a few bucks (€€) and almost just as nice. Sieffert was a French painter almost exclusively known from his numerous reclining nude paintings. And yes: he was pretty good at it. 

  

As always: all help identifying the artists involved is very much welcomed.  

Susanna and the Elders: solved ! Albert Bechtold

Dorothea in Austria again solved a mystery. The print "Susanna" (and the elders, symbolised by two pair of spying eyes) was created in 1922 by Austrian sculptor and printmaker Albert Bechtold (1885-1965) who lived and worked in Bregenz.  
  

Thank you Dorothea !

After serving on the Italian front, marrying his Italian wife in 1917 Bechtold created this "Danae", daughter of Euridice, at the "Moment Suprème": the secret conception of Perseus by Zeus symbolised by a golden rain. Bechtold cleverly created a visual second layer to this myth: looking carefully Danae is reaching out to be kissed by bearded Zeus....  

The myth of Danae was depicted by numerous artist: from Rubens and Rembrandt to our modern times. Probably the best known and loved paintings of Danae is by an also Austrian artist: Gustav Klimt.      

Elisabeth & Hildegard Roeder-Herford

Elisabeth Roeder

(born probably in Trier (Saarland) around 1890-1895 - after 1923)

German painter and printmaker.

Probably working and living in Herford near Bielefeld. 

Today I keep my promise to Peter and share what I was able to find out after finding this monochrome print by Elsisabeth Roeder-("Herford"). All examples of works shown in this posting are (available) in the collection of Peter: the link to his collections, offers and gallery is at the end of this posting/article. 

With the help of Peter I not only was able to add this nice print by "a new kid on the block" to my collection but also urged me to create a new short-biography to my Lexicon of

German (speaking) women artists born 1850-1900 and involved with "Farbholzschnitt" 1900-1935. 

Elisabeth is not mentioned in any of the artist lexicons or address books and a quick survey of possible queries and hits in the www. did have not much result. Until I received notice of the subtitle of this print:

 "Hildegard am Hausorgel" 

I liked the print at first sight but knowing the artist is portraying her probably younger sister (Hildegard is 18 in 1923) makes it even lovelier and intimate. 

Besides: one must own a pretty big house to install a church organ: you do not have to apply rocket science to figure out her father either was the vicar of one of Herfords churches or he had "something to do" with church music. So here goes: 

This shy and bearded gentleman is Elisabeth's father Karl Roeder, born in Neunkirchen in Saarland in 1860 as son of Karl Roeder Sr. a primary school master. Although Karl Jr. followed in the footsteps of his father as a  primary schoolmaster in Trier he also studied church organ in Berlin. No doubt he taught his daughter Hildegard (b. 1904) too. Hildegard was later married to one Hermann Steinmetz and was a co-author to a commemoration Herford Schools and teacher Karl Roeder booklet in 1960. 

Perhaps the view on the Neustadt Apotheke (from a second floor ?) holds a clue were Elisabeth or the Roeder family lived ? Hopefully a local historian or interested resident of Herford one day will pick up this posting.

Karl Roeder married Auguste Schaun and besides Elisabeth and Hildegard they had another 7 children probably born in Trier but also in Herford because in 1903 Karl Roeder was appointed head of Herford "Musikseminar" also having a position in several Herford schools, being a private teacher, composer, educator choir-master etc... He died in 1933. In his day he was a prolific composer of organ music and much involved in school and community singing. Most of his many compositions (Organ Choral Preludes) were lost in a fire in the last days of WW-II but if you search youtube there are actually some pieces that can be heard: He is no Johann Sebastian but nevertheless wrote some very agreeable music.

So, from having nothing at all on this forgotten artist before today we now have at least a start or a beginning of a short biography and a first catalogue of works. She was probably a local artist, possibly self-taught but judging from the quality of her paintings and prints I certainly had expected to find some local references. It could also be I looked in the wrong places and welcome all help, clues or suggestions and comments (but only the friendly ones).  

Besides these examples that all show landmarks of her homestead Herford (10 Km. north-east of Bielefeld) she also visited the picturesque village of Schieder-Schwalenberg which is not more then 20 Km to the south of Herford. On her way she will have paused halfway in the stunningly beautiful medieval village Lemgo of which I have very fond memories. Schieder-Schwalenberg was popular with painters and it even had its own "Malerkolonie" but as goes with Elisabeth Roeder: not much can be found.

PS: The lovely province of Detmold is also the home country of printmaker Ernst Rötteken  

All the prints and watercolours in this posting are from the collections and gallery of Peter Weidlich: Gluckburgerkonstkontor in Glucksburg near Flensburg on the Flensburg Fjord near the Danish border. Here's the link to Peters Ebay offers and shop well worth a visit : 

https://www.ebay.de/usr/gluecksbuergerkunstkontor

All other pictures were are borrowed freely from the internet for friendly, educational and non commercial use only. 

Susanne & the elders, Adam and Eve

These two prints have in common their square format and biblical theme, both are from my personal collection and still in need of proper identification.

Susanne and the Elders (German "Holzschnitt, Handdruck" 1922) was a very popular subject for the Old Masters: painters, drawers and engravers, numerous artists have chosen this theme. 

Ernst Nilson, Swedish printmaker: Susanna and the Elders.    

It is funny to see this same (....) woman  modelling and appearing in the Netherlands as well in France. Examples by very unknown Dutch printmakers Jacques Jeichenius Ottens and very famous French printmakers Felix Valloton. 

It is of course (also) a story about the female beauty, male lust, desire and seduction, of dirty old men playing dirty tricks. But behind this theme of a shy bathing woman and the collaborating and blackmailing old bastards is also one of the oldest legal principles: Testis unus testis nullus (one witness is no witness or "no one shall be put to death on the testimony of a single witness").  

(I read ? .Nolte or Holte, 1973, but here also I have my doubts)

And then there's this 1973 archaic (...) and quite "different" Adam and Eva probably linocut print by a still unknown (possibly) Dutch printmaker. Crude and bold in execution and delicate in expression. It would be nice to have a makers name with these prints because they are chosen to  appear in the Bathers and Nymphs Pavilion of the planned exhibition:

"Das Haus der Frau 1935"

(revisiting Leipzig 1914 BUGRA)

Farbholzschnitt: Kunst durch Deutsche Künstlerinnen

(Colour woodblock prints by German women artists) 

(1900-----1935)

Rembrandt's also very "different" Adam and Eve..


All help and suggestions are welcomed.

All pictures borrowed freely from the Internet for friendly, educational and non commercial use only.

   

Jungfrau, Interlaken: T. Kranz-Böhm

T. Kranz-Böhm
(died 1949)
(forgotten etcher)

"Original Radierung - Jungfrau mit Lütschine"

Not even his/her first name is delivered to us and he (or she ?) is not mentioned in any of the Lexicons. It was found in this mornings flea-market visit. It is  nothing special but a quite nice small etching of a well known Alp. And a nice puzzle. The year of death could not be verified. 

Googling I found these, around 1900, photographs of the "Bernese Oberland" near Interlaken and Gorge (canyon) of river Lütschine.

It would be nice to know the name of the artist and when and where he/she was born and perhaps something more about the artist. All information is welcomed. There are about half a dozen others examples of this artist to be found Googling: Venice, Freiburg, Cologne etc... 

All pictures borrowed freely from the Internet for friendly, educational and non commercial use only.