Hans Schütz 1906

 FRÜHZEIT des Modernen Holzschnitts

This winter print was exhibited in the winter of 2014-15 in Städistche Wessenberg-Gallerie in Konstanz in an exhibition showing 60 winter woodblock prints from the collection of Munich collector Felix Häberle (1941-1921). Sadly there was no catalogue (inquired). Its title "Baum über ein Bach in verschneiter Landschaft" probably was an educated guess. Considering the reputation of collector "Rechtsanwalt" Haberlé the attribution to Hans Schütz (Schüz) (1883-1922) and the date (1906) can be trusted and was read probably written underneath.  

Another copy of this exceptional print was never seen before or since (at least not by me.....). 

1906    

places Hans Schütz, who before today was never described as a pioneering "Holzschnitt" artist, in the heart of the birth of Modern Printmaking and among his colleagues who were active in this field: Kandinsky, Thiemann, Klemm, Orlik, Neumann, Berndt. 

Than, very recently another copy emerged as:

"In den Isargauen bei Garching" 

Orig.- Farbholzschnitt von Hans Schütz.  

Freisinger Künstlerpresse W. Bode 

Isargauen is a park along river Isar in the heart of Munich. Walter Bode (1934-2022) was the founder of a bibliophile printing house in town of Freising. Considering the reputation of Walter Bode as a printer and his annotation it may have been printed from the original blocks although there is no mentioning of "Nachlass" (posthumously). Sadly both Häberle and Bode can no longer be consulted. 

Hans Schütz married Else, an artist, the daughter of pioneering Swiss health tourism pioneer and sanatorium founder in Arosa: Dr. Otto Herwig. Schütz died, 39 years old of pneumonia in the 1922 flu pandemic himself a "Kurort" patient. 

Read more about Hans Bode, Otto and Else Herwig and Hans Schütz in the accompanying my collection book of biographies.

All further information is very welcomed.  

Alfred Möllner: "a kind of Nolde"

 Alfred Möllner 

(born Hildesheim 1930 - ?)

"Meer mit roten Wolken"

If you ever dreamed to have and to hang an Emil Nolde (1867-1956) painting, and are not financially solid enough to transfer 7.3 Million €. to the auction house, try finding one of the signed and limited to 150 copies lithographic reproductions by Nolde's probably last and most talented student (1953-54) Alfred Möllner. Affordable but great art.  It'll do for me, has too. The sensation of "having" is perhaps greater than visiting Nolde online or even experiencing and undergoing Nolde's originals in his museum. 

Displayed, matted and framed 50 x70 this Möllner Opus Magnus (IMHO) is a stunning art work, an eye catcher and will prove to be a conversation piece in any interior.  

Emil Nolde: €7,3.000.000 in a recent auction. 

5 of Möllners paintings were lithographically reproduced (image seize 36 x 50 cm., date unknown). Sets and individual copies sometimes appear in eBay etc. They represent expressionist sky impressions over Germany's North provinces (Emil Nolde country...). They will not throw you in poverty.  

Titles: "Friesenhof" - "Wolken über dem Horizont" - "Abend im Teufelsmoor" - "Küstenlandschaft".

Finding not more than a dozen other examples of Möllners expressionist water colour landscapes (all in one auction....) and besides the facts he was born in Hildesheim, studied in Karlsruhe academy and was Noldes last master-student, shortly before Nolde's death, NOTHING can be found about his artistic career and life. Following the titles of some of his works: he visited America, the Caribic and England. No exhibition records came to light.   

He or she who knows more is invited to share this knowledge.    

 

(All pictures borrowed freely from the Internet for friendly, academic and non commercial use). 

Pont Neuf

 Le Pont Neuf (Paris)

The location is a well known, iconic and famous one: the oldest stone bridges of Paris connecting the western tip Isle-de-la-Cité (square Vert-Galant) with 2 sets of arches with the North and South banks of River Seine. Although there are 4 possible location of this perspective, seeing both Pont du Carrousel and Pont des Arts on the horizon,  below the arch, it is most likely this location:

Besides the fisherman, a mysterious tramrails (of which no examples of this structure in other copies of art or photograph could be found), some beached small vessels and the outline of a Bateau Lavoir (lower right) is visible. 

Although many artist impressions (paintings, etchings etc) of the Pont Neuf can be found the passage on quay level is not found very often.  First of all the Armington artist etching couple (Frank & Caroline) who frequented this particular site, came to mind but the signature tells different ! 

Maybe an interested reader or specialist can help reading the signature.....

Some nice examples by well and lesser known artists: 

Caroline Armington 

   

Jules de Bruycker 

William Wilson (Scottish)

August Lepère

All help and suggestions to the artist are very welcomed !

Lill Tschudi: 1944

Sooner than expected the question of attribution was solved by my American collecting friend and print expert Tom Clemens in Boston who's friend Ben Weiss, curator of Boston Museum of Arts, identified the print by a copy in New-York Metropolitan Museum of Art database in the Garfield collection. 

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/835184

Its title, to me and my special collection, is adding an extra layer of interest and emotion to her work: 

"Neue Flüchtlinge kommen ins Lager". 

New, Jewish, refugees fleeing Nazi Germany in 1944, seeking and finding shelter, arriving in Switzerland. It also solves the question which side of the paper is front and besides gives insight in her actual printing technique and her use of materials. 

Unexpectedly it is also of a frightening actuality.  

During WW-II Switzerland sheltered some 300.000 mostly Jewish refugees, but controversially also send many back at its frontiers following the "all life boats are full" principle. A frightening and haunting resemblance and food-for-thought and contemplation to today's (European) migratory problems. 

These photo's borrowed freely from the Internet for friendly, non commercial and academic use only. 

Unknown Lill Tschudi ?

 "Unbekannte" Lill Tschudi ?

Last summer this print popped up in an internet auction. It had stayed unrecognised and unwanted by any impulsive buyer, serious collector or commercial dealer: there's no signature. No signature, no attribution, no interest, no (commercial) value ? 

But then: who needs a signature with something this good ? Finally cataloging last year's collection acquisitions it was suggested (thank you Tom) it might be by the hand of Swiss artist Lill Tschudi (1911-2004) who was trained in London's Slate school and created over 300 often iconic prints. A second example of this print however was not yet found. 

It could be the reverse side is the correct side: both sides are of almost identical quality: the ink/paint through and through the fabric. Maybe another technical clue ? The (to me) illegible and faint (carved) lettering below is reversed in the above version of the picture. 

Looking for clues it seems very likely it is indeed (must be) by her hand: Style, Perspective and Colours are very similar to some (choice) examples found in the Internet.  What she depicted may be an orphanage or convent's dining room (although the women seem to wear no caps or robes of any religious sort). 

Two more of my favourite Lill Tschudi prints (who was a student of Claude Flight in London and Fernand Léger in Paris): "women(!) students in the nude drawing class" and b"athing women". 

Since prints by Lill Tschudi normally would be financially out of reach this may have been the only chance of ever being able to represent this printmaker in my special collection:

www.dashausderfrau.nl. 

He or she, stumbling over this posting, who knows more: all information is very welcomed. 

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

Fernand Lambert 2: La Laitière

 La Laitière

Recently this large drawing was discovered and rescued after being dismissed by its former owners. I think, as best as I can, the signature may read "Fernand Lambert 1903". But it could also be Fernande (she) and/or Cambier ........  Benezit Lexicon does not give any other serious candidates besides the painter Fernand Lambert (before post) who was born in Lyon but studied and had a career in Paris. 

It is an exact copy of Jean Baptiste Greuze's (1725-1805) painting of "La Laitière" (the milkmaid). The painting is since 1900 officially part of the Louvre collection with its pendant painting "La Cruche Cassée" (the broken pitcher). We know Greuze's wife Anne-Gabrielle modelled for the milkmaid. They later divorced. Both paintings have deeper layers of symbolic meaning (virginity, virtue, status etc..).  

At least 2 engraved versions of "La Laitière" are known: by Greuze's contemporary Jean Charles Levasseur (1734-1816), which is a mirrored version, and a 1901 "Heliogravure" published by Braun Clement & Cie for "Revue de l'Art ancien et moderne". 

My suggestion is this drawing may have been an academic exercise, by Fernand Lambert while studying in Paris under Bougeareau and when the painting was not that long in the Louvre. 

I also think it far too accurate and professional to be created by an amateur. 

Any other suggestions or knowledge concerning the history of this milkmaid is very welcomed. 

PS: Milkmaids were often used as models in paintings because of their fair and unscarred skin: in times of small pocks and tuberculosis many milkmaids had built an immunity to the microbes causing these wide spread and devastating diseases. The fair skin of milkmaids helped clever physicians to understand better the cause and paths of the disease and ultimately leading to the development of vaccines, inoculations, prevention, medication and cure. For which we should be thankful instead of suspicious. 

Fernand Lambert 1

 Fernand Alexis Lambert (1868-1934/35)

was a not very well known French landscape painter and critic. He was born in Lyon, studied in Paris under Bougereau and is known by half a dozen really nice (post)-impressionist landscapes and river scenes (Rhone in Lyon nd Seine in Paris). He has only a few lines in Benezit, artists lexicon and the pictures of his works are scratched together from the Internet. 

If he is identical with the maker of a drawing after the famous painting "La Laitière" (the milkmaid) by Jean Baptiste Greuze (1725-1805) in the Louvre remains to be researched.

See next posting !