Max Kahlke: Frisian and Schleswig coast

Kahlke, Max

(Glückstadt  13-01-1892 – 28-02-1928 Kiel) 

Painter and graphic artist. 

Kahlke's rendering of "Clouds, Sea, Tide and Space". And a much treasured print by my favorite but much obscured and neglected Dutch printmaker: Louis Haver (1906-1969).

Max Kahlke was the son of Jacob Kahlke (1866-1935) and Minna Raave (1869-1964). He was born on the banks of the Elbe estuary in the small village of Glückstadt ones important for its herring ("matjes") fishery. 

He studied 1911-12 in Stuttgart “Akademie für bildende Künste” with Robert Poetzelberger (1856-1930) and 1912-14 in Weimar “Großherzoglich-Sächsiche Kunstschule” with Fritz Mackensen (1866-1953). But according his own words he did not think very highly of his academical training but being mostly inspired and influenced by Tirol painter Albin Egger-Lienz (1868-1926). Albin Legger taught in Weimar 1912-13 after being denied a professorship in Munich Academy in 1910 because of a Kaiser  displeasing painting.... 

Sea and Clouds 

He was a member of the “Schlewig-Holsteinische Kunstgenossenschaft” and the “Hamburger Künstlerverein von 1832”. In WWI he fought as a soldier in Flanders, was wounded and treated for many months in field hospitals. 

Friedrich Lissmann, Sea & Tirns. 

Kahlke's fascinating for this landscape reminds me of Bremen born Friedrich Lissmann (1880-1915) he fought in the trenches too but did not return from Flanders Fields. I shared my admiration for Lissmann in this Blog 6 years ago here* and here*.

A photograph of a farmhouse seen through wind battered trees on Island Ameland (Neth.), much like in Kahlke's print. 

A print I showed many years ago here*

Short lived Kahlke, he only reached 36, is known and reminded for his portraits, moor landscape paintings and religious work for Schleswig churches but to me his woodcuts showing the North German coastal and tidal Wadden-sea landscapes are the most interesting works he created. His work is collected in several North German Museums: Altona-Hamburg, Flensburg, Glückstadt, Itzehoe and Schleswig Museums. 

And here's a photograph I took only last week on Island Ameland. Nord-Friesland (Germ.) near the Danish border and my Friesland (Neth.) aren't that far apart. There are 100 years and some 150 miles (as the crow flies) between both observations in this beautiful (World Heritage) part of the world. 

Tönning in Nord-Friesland (Ger.) a small village until the 1970's important for crab fishing. 

Do not hesitate sending me more examples of Kahlke's work for sharing in this Blog.

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