Anna Bähker, printmaker in "das Altes Land".

Anna Bähker 

Still unidentified etcher and printmaker.

 Living in Berlin 1921-30, member of the VdBK.

 Probably living for some time in the artist colony of Nidden.  

Anna Bähker is one of the artists who, in spite of all my efforts remains to this day a very unknown artist: I still have no idea who she actually was. Although I discovered the identity of so many obscured artists over the past years (all revealed in the book) Anna Bähker is still an enigma although her prints regularly show up in Ebay and other auctions. But gathering all small pieces one day will be successful and helpful in clearing her from obscurity. 

She is best known for the half a dozen prints showing (Baltic) fishing boats (more about these prints and their location in a later posting). She has been obviously working and/or staying in Nidden where printmaker Daniel Staschus and his wife lived. It is situated on the Curonian-Spit an ice age remnant, a long sandy stretch of dunes situated in Prussia's Baltic sea, now Kaliningrad/Königsberg-Lithuania)  

Recently and shortly after each other I found these two etchings (German :"Radierung") they are the first examples I ever saw other then her woodblock prints. Unlike many other printmakers I've never seen an oil painting by her. 

The first is said to be (possibly) showing "Worpswede" which is a picturesque village and artist "colony" near Bremen. The title is "Am Kanal" (at the canal). She possibly visited Worpswede artist colony because it is not far from her woodblock print titled "Altenländer Fleet" (canal Altes Land) 

"Das Altes Land" is however the region situated on the west bank of river Elbe, north-west of Hamburg. The old country, "laid dry" centuries before (since 12th century) by Dutch settlers and today Germanys fruits and vegetables garden.  

The other one (very small only 6 x 8 cm) is highly interesting because it is a mirrored version of her best known woodblock print "Stadttor" (town gate) which I would very much like to find and have one day. And of course finding out where this gate is located would be even better.

I can offer many fine works (in every international discipline) for swapping or trade if you happen to have or know a decent copy of this print that is on my wishlist for my collection of German Women Printmakers. 

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

 

Ruth Laube, unknown German printmaker.

Ruth Laube

(active 1920-1930)

German woodblock printmaker and book illustrator. 
(Possibly active in the Nidden Artist Colony in Lithuania) 

Until last week I knew of just one print by this mysterious printmaker who's signature in Sütterlin (or old/Gothic German handwriting) is as difficult to read for modern Germans as it is to me. The "Fractur" or "Gothic" typographic (printed) script is somewhat easier but nevertheless, almost forgotten by most modern Germans. It was in use from the 16th century until WW 2. Collecting pre-WW2 prints however it is impossible to turn away from it. 

Sütterlin: Gothic handwriting 

Fractur: typographic or Gothic printing script 

For that reason I was very pleased (with myself), as a Dutchman, to be able to decipher the signature (Ruth and not Rolf Laube) and recognizing the printmakers style + monogram RL in this second print by her that I've discovered recently. 

The other one I've found some time ago in the collection of Wolfgang, a friendly and modest German collector, who provided me with this piece of extra information, the frame makers label: Conrad Klein, Heilsberg, Ost-Preußen. (In theory, when so few prints are found, there is a slight chance she might gave been perhaps only locally known. Conrad Klein, the frame maker, is mentioned in the 1936 Heilsberg Sensus but sadly no Laube family. My print was framed in Berlin. 

         

Heilsberg (now Lidzbark Warmiński in Poland) situated south of the old artistic and academic centre of Köningsberg (now Kalilingrad) not far from the Nidden Artist Colony in the Kurische Nehrung (Courtland Spit) the strip of sand and high dunes situated along the coast with Lithuania. 
(Where Lovis Corinth (1858-1921) taught and Köningsberg Art Academy trained printmaker Daniel Staschus (1872-1953) and his wife Paula participated. They later moved to Munich where with Martha Cunz (1876-1961) and Hans Neumann (1873-1957) they became the most important color woodblock printmakers). Probably printmaker L.E.M (Margarete) Gerhardt (1873-1955) was in the colony too.    

In the course of my ongoing research on pioneering German women printmakers born between 1860 en 1900 Ruth Laube is probably the least known  printmaker among the 140 (!) I'm constantly investigating. The name Ruth Laube in the Internet is also pointing to America, but then: hords of German families emigrated to the New World between 1850-1950.

And there's this 1930 book: "Vom Deutschen Glauben" with two original woodblock illustrations by Ruth Laube. One is shown above

Until the book on these women printmakers is publishable I've decided revealing in the Blog the most difficult and obscured of "my" printmaking ladies. Sooner or later this posting will be picked up by some one who knows more, as has happened regularly before. Therefore all information and comments on Ruth Laube are most welcome. 

Else Zinkeisen (I) River Elbe

Else Zinkeisen

(born 1871 Hamburg)

German woodblock printmaker. 

(I): River Elbe 

Today, again, an Ebay induced posting on a printmaker I’d never heard of before leading to some great discoveries and other fine artists. This above “Boote bei Sonnenuntergang” (Boats at sunset) undoubtedly are sailing in the Elbe estuary and came up for auction recently. 

"Fischer Boote auf der Elbe" and "Wolken über der Elbe". 

Other than the fact Else Zinkeisen was taught privately until 1899 and that she has been a member of the “Heikendorfer Künstlerkolonie” my research  turned   up absolutely nothing. But luckily a small but fine collection of her prints is kept in the “Künstlermuseum Heikendorf" at the Kieler Förde.  

Left: Else Zinkeisen, Right: Oscar Droege, (same?) dwellings along river Elbe.

The Kieler Förde, an inlet of the Baltic sea, North West of Hamburg in Germany's most Northern and beautiful province of Schleswick-Holstein. Sheltered and strategically situated along the busy trade route between North-Western Europe, Scandinavia, Denmark and the Baltic States. Not one of these prints I could locate outside this Museum: a well hidden treasure of prints of what has to be one of the earliest German Modern Printmakers.

 The Elbe River downstream North of Hamburg seen from the Ice-age,
glacier formed East bank ridge by Friedrich Kallmorgen (1856-1924)

Man made Elbe dikes by painter Friedrich Wilhelm Schwinge (1852-1913)

The artist colony sprang up in the 1920's around the house and studio of painter Heinrich Blunk (1891-1963) and it is one of the very few buildings remaining after WWII devastations. Kiel and its surroundings, like Hamburg in 1943, was almost completely destroyed by allied bombs because of its marine and submarine bases. The artists’ studios are gone but the House and Gardens survived, now housing the Museum.

Where we meet another great member of the colony: Oscar Droege (1898-1983) also born in Hamburg (but 25 years after Else Zinkeisen) and perhaps Germany’s most famous and certainly most prolific printmaker. Many of his (I count over a 100) prints featuring Hamburg and the river Elbe.

Painter Georg Burmester (1864-1936) was among them, very much influenced by Vincent van Gogh and  later to become a professor in Kassel art academie. He painted the surrounding  Schleswick land- and seascapes 

Along the North German coast, to the East the sister  "Niddener Künstkolonie" thrived. You can find similar prints of typical Baltic fishing and trading boats  by members Margarethe (L.E.M.) Gerhardt (1873-) and Daniel Stachsus (1872-1953). Max Pechstein and Lovis Corinth lived there.

This print by Else Zinkeisen is showing river fishing boats in the small tranquil  village and fishing  port of Altweder. Just opposite, on the other (West) side of river Elbe, of the mighty city of Hamburg. And situated in a wonderful ancient  and rural landscape. Below a photograph from about the time Else was there. 

A situation painted (below) by Friedrich Wilhelm Schwinge (1852-1913), my favorite  painter of the Frisian and Schleswick landscape (see also above).

And as it was recorded in one of the very last moments of it's existence (above) on photo. The fate that struck the village of Altweder has frightful similarities with the Dutch village of Blankenberg (50 years before) I wrote about in my earlier posting:  Blankenburg (link). It's the inevitabillity of progress: it can’t be stopped. It's all gone. Forever.

The Scottish sisters and artists Anna and Doris Zinkeisen are not (directly) related to Else. Anna Zinkeisen who designed several London Underground posters in the 1920-30’s and her Scottish family of timber traders have a 200 year Scottish history leading back to Silesian ancestry.

Next: some more prints and history by Else Zinkeisen.