Hildegard Koch: forgotten.

Koch, Hildegard 

(1871 – after 1921 before 1930 ?)

Dresden painter and printmaker

I have to make corrections on this posting within 24 hours. The print described was not created by Hildegard Koch. The research however unexpectedly lead to the proper artist. Please see next posting on Wilhelm Koch. 
   
Hildegard Koch lived and worked in Dresden and (1898 - ?)  in Kipsdorf-im-Erzgebirge (20 km. south of Dresden) in the "Erzgebirge (Ore-mauntains). I have no proof source to where she was born. She is not mentioned in any of the artists lexicons.  

She had also been a member of the "Verein der Berliner Künstlerinnen" 1898-1916 and exhibited with the VdBK 1898, 1901, suggesting she may have studied in Berlin. This painting and the postcard below are the only examples of her work I as able to find. 

Later we find her also a member of “Gruppe der Dresdner Künstlerinnen”, around 1904, and exhibiting in 1908 in “Galerie Arnold” with Doris am Ende (1857-1944), Clotilde Schilling (1858-1934), Bertha Schrader (1845-1920) and Lina von Zieten (?) and others. Please help to identify this last artist ! 

Hildegard Koch is not graphically known by any woodblock print. This print surfaced in German Ebay last month showing a winter landscape and a twin towered “Kreuzkirche” possibly somewhere south of Dresden, in the Ore Mountains region (“Erz-gebirge”), possibly around Dresden. It would be nice to identify the church and its town. Reading the signature "Hilf." I wrongly assumed it could be made by her. It's not, but the print has lead me to her surprising adres in Dresden and more surprisingly to her printmaking colleagues and even neighbors. This mistake (wrong path of investigation) shows how little we know of the lives of so many wonderful artists. 
I am not ashamed to prove myself wrong. It is an accepted way of research when open for criticism and fresh ideas (thank you Wolfgang in Frankfurt for you help and suggestions).     

In Dresden Hildegard Koch lived in 1921 at Ostbahnstrasse 1, in a street were artist liked to have a studio because of North facing windows: at nr. 2 lived Elisabeth Andrae (1876-1945) and Erna Ottillie Bercht (1881-1966) while Clothilde Schilling (1858-1934) lived at nr. 16. Printmaking ladies whom we've met met before.

Ostbahnstrasse Dresden

Dresslers KHB 1921: Dresden, Ostbahnstrasse 1. Member VdK.

Dresslers KHB 1930: not mentioned, suggesting she stopped living 1921-1930.

Post card made by Hildegard Koch in Kipsdorf  

Hildegard Koch today is a largely forgotten artist. These are the only facts and examples of her art I was able to scratch together. But slowly pieces of the historic puzzle in artistic Dresden begin to form pictures: follow the labels: Andrea, Schilling, Schrader.        

Do send corrections and additions for sharing and help me in my research into early German woodblock printmaking by woman artists born 1850-1900. 

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

Margarete Donath, quest for a forgotten Dresden painter & printmaker (2/3)

Margarete Donath (II) 

Hermann-strasse 2 (renamed Lauritzerstrasse in 1922) 

Weißer Hirsch, Loschwitz, Dresden 

around1920-30

The Loschwitz neighbors:

Oskar Kokoschka (1886-1980) 

A few streets away lived and worked for several years 1916-1919 modernist/expressionist Oskar Kokoschka gathering a circle of artists around him in Hotel Felsenburg. He was  recovering from his war injuries and was a professor in Dresden Kunstakadamie 1919-1924.

Rosa Petzel (1831-1912)

At the Rißweg in “Weisser Hirsch” at Villa “Sonnenleite” lived Rosa Petzel  with her two artist sisters Marie and Minna. She is considered one of Germany’s first professional woman (portrait) painters.

Oskar Pletsch (1830-1888)

a popular genre painter and books illustrator had lived nearby generation earlier.

  

Oskar Zwintscher (1870-1916)

symbolist painter and with Koskoschka professor in Dresden "Kunstakademie”. He taught one of Germanys best known printmakers Martin Erich Philip (1887-1978) who settled  later in nearby Dölszschen, west of Dresden.

Hans Kallmeyer (1882-1961) 

lived in Loschwitz and later moved to Königsberg and Nidden and was knicknamed “der Elchmaler” (the moose-painter). Like so many German artists Kallmeyer he lost all his belonging in bombing (of Königsberg)

Rose Friedrich (1867-1953)

Painter and printmaker who studied in Dresden Kunstakademie but also with Max Liebermann, Max Slevogt, Lovis Corinth and in Paris with Claude Monet. She lived Loschwitz, Schevenstrasse 2 in Villa "Te Deum Laudamus" near the river. 

Neumann, (most probably not Hermann Fritz Neumann (1858-1920 Dresden Loschwitz) as often claimed or stated by sellers, auction houses etc..

Still unidentified graphic artist, known for his animal (dog) etchings. Which is remarkable since the quantity and quality of his work. Neumann has been the focus of research by several print collectors but to this day without proper result. All help, knowledge etc.. is welcomed. 
Please contact me or Christian Mahnke (c.mahnke@gmail.com) and/or Wolfgang Barina (post@wolfgang-barina.de) 

(Added note april 2019: There is still controversy, mistaken identities and mix up with the biographical dates of painter Hermann Fritz Neumann who is obviously not the printmaker Neumann creating mainly colour etchings of animals and active almost certain after 1920, the year of death of Hermann Fritz N.) 

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More artists involved in  early printmaking lived in Dresden centre, Elisabeth Andrae, Doris am Ende expressionist Ernst Ludwig Kirchner (until 1911) and in nearby Radebeul lived the illustrious (deaf mute) artist Käthe (Kathi) Kuntze from a prosperous Dresden bankers family .

Siegfried Berndt 

(1880-1946)

who was trained in and later taught at Dresden Kunstakademie lived Wittenbergerstrasse 51 near the entrance of the Loschwitz-Brücke (Blaue Wunder). He was with Orlik one Germany's pioneers of Japanese style printmaking introducing and spreading the gospel of this new craft to his colleagues in Dresden academy, possibly even to Oscar Zwintscher and Martin Erich Philipp (above). 

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

Next: the Donath family: working, business and living in the area.