Paul Kayser meets Albert Marquet : ferry to Blankenese

Ernst Odefey's steam tug and ferryboat woodblock prints created in (around) 1914 brought me to Hamburg harbor in before postings. 

It was around the time French impressionists Bonnard and Veuillard were invited (commissioned) by Alfred Lichtwark, the director of the Hamburg Kuntshalle, to paint (en plein air) in Hamburg. This Hamburg harbor view, below, by Veuillard is I think not owned by the Kunsthalle. 

Paul Kayser night view Hamburg harbor.

With his enthusiasm, foresight, knowledge and the money from his often wealthy and prosperous "Hamburg Kunstfreunden" he build a fine collection for the people of Hamburg commissioning contemporary paintings (graphics and photographs) of contemporary Hamburg by contemporary and local artists. Created outdoors. 

A steam ferry boat is seen here in Carlos Grethe's (1864-1913) painting. Grethe, marine and Hamburg harbor painter and teacher was born in Uruquay. He'll feature in following postings. 

Following my personal path (visiting Hamburg means traveling Elbe river by water taxi), getting acquainted with the world of a century ago, my interest and curiosity, the ferryboat leaving in Odefey's print led me to its possible point of destination through the paintings of (Jean) Paul Kayser (1869-1942) one of the "Künstlerclub" (see end of posting) members and protégé of Lichtwark.

Paul Kayser: Pier in Blankenese & Albert Marquet: Pier in Fécamp  

His painting of a landing pier in Blankenese and his many paintings of this picturesque former fishing village with it's iconic views over River Elbe and Hamburg harbor without me knowing this painter led me to the "believe" he could have lived here, finding out he actually did: since 1908. 

In 1909 he had met visiting Albert Marquet and they had painted together in the harbor. Reading the "Künstlerclub"  book I learned that it is not fully understood why Lichtwark did not commission or buy one of his 1909 paintings at the time. It lasted until the 1960's until a (1909) work of him was acquired for the Kunsthalle. It seems to have been related to Lichtwark's "problems" with Matisse students (.....) Several versions of this painting exist. 

Marquet created some 17 paintings during his stay in Hamburg. In 1933 Kayser payed his friend Marquet a visit in Paris.  

  

The red tugboat by Marquet is in the collections of the Hermitage but I have no idea where the original painting of the green steam ferry boat (it looks like Odefey's) is located. The only picture of the painting I found: on a postcard in German Ebay. Even before Marquet, another french (post) impressionist had visited Hamburg: August Herbin (1882-1960), in 1907.

          

August Herbin in Hamburg & Paul Kayser in Paris 

Besides being a successful free creating painter Paul Kayser worked also as a teacher in Hamburg. For over 30 years he taught at Glockengießerwall 25 in a building opposite Lichtwarks Kunsthalle, in the painting school, "Malschule Röver" (from 1904 "Malschule Gerda Koppel"). 

A school in which Lichtwark also was involved. Painter and printmaker Gretchen Wohlwill (1878-1962) studied here. (And also with Fritz Friedrichs (1882-1828) (below) who ran his own paintings school in Hamburg from 1910).

   

Gretchen Wohlwill & Fritz Friedrichs: Elbe pier.

From the window of his studio in the school Kayser painted the Glockengießerwall-Alsterdamm crossing and entrance to the Lombardbrücke connecting the shores of the Alster basin and dividing "Inner & Außer Alster" in 1910. With a perspective the Paris impressionists often choose painting the cities grand Rues. Opposite is the Kunsthalle and the construction of Hamburg "Zentral Bahnhof" (central station), started in 1899, had finished a few years earlier in 1906.

Paul Kayser: Hamburg Glockengießerwall, Hamburg.

Albert Marquet: St. Cloud, Paris    

His colleague and "Künstlerclub" friend Ernst Eitner (1867-1955) choose (I think) the opposite head of the Lombardsbrücke but from ground floor. 

Using the same high perspective from a floor window is seen in this painting of a quiet Hamburg lane by hardly known Hamburg painter Marie Schmersahl-Kyöbge (1875-1951). She was "promoted" by Alfred Lichtwark and Gustav Pauli (director of Bremen Kunsthalle and successor of Lichtwark in Hamburg after his death in 1914). 

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

This small selection of possibly many hundreds great examples of Hamburg Impressionist paintings is of course extremely limited in the space of this Blog contribution, arbitrary and 

strictly personal.

Carsten Meyer-Tönnismann's book: "der Hamburgische Kunstlerclub von 1897" reads like a novel and brings to life this artistic and prosperous period in Hamburg very vividly. Recommended ! 

Ernst Odefey II: some more ferries and steam along the Elbe and in Hamburg Harbor

Following in the footsteps of Ernst Odefey (from before posting) visiting Hamburg harbor in the days of steam as promised today some nice works related to the HADAG harbor ferry in his print. Following my stream of consciousness and curiosity I took the ferry to debark some kilometers downstream and meeting another interesting artist. 

Most connected and related to atmosphere of steam, river Elbe and Hamburg are of course the expressionist paintings by Emil Nolde (1867-1956). He was born in the nearby borderlands of Schleswick and Denmark. The border between Germany and Denmark shifting regularly. 

But many other artists were attracted to the bustling and "romantic" scenery of Hamburg harbor. Paul Kutscha (1872-1935) an impressionist painter trained in Munich and Paris, travelled to Australia for 4 years and, returned, stayed in Hamburg 1905-1910 painting the harbor often. He was intrigued by the tugboats and ferries. 

And Paul Paeschke (1875-1943), probably my favorite German etcher, visited and depicted in his etchings so many German cities. In Hamburg harbor (he was in the Alster area too) he also saw the steam ferries and tugboats. Here he stuffed his stage with ships instead of the crowds he usually depicts in the streets, squares, beaches and markets in his city views.  

But it was this painting (below) that lead me to the possible destination of the ferry and, after a short stay and visit, back to a very interesting address in the heart of Hamburg, leading ultimately back to printmaking. 

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

Ernst Odefey I: a day in Hamburg harbour

Odefey, Ernst

(Hamburg 30-11-1882 – 1964 Hamburg) 

Hamburg painter and printmaker.

Odefey lived and worked in Hoopte an der Elbe (just south of Hamburg). He studied in Hamburg with Julius Wohlers (1867-1953) and in Weimar with Ludwig von Hofmann (1861-1945), Hans Olde (1855-1917) and Theodor Hagen (1842-1919) and travelled to Paris and the Isle of Bornholm. 

Departure of the steam ferry in Hamburg harbor. The dramatic, balancing the composition, towering mass of the "Dukdalf", the movement of the right turn suggested by the water and the disappearing from sight ferry (only half a ship) are very clever. With the lonely female figure (his love?) Odefey may have left a hidden message in this print. Much like Emil Orlik put in an extra layer (or two) in his gossiping women print (below). 

The steam ferry leaving seen in Odefey's print is possibly SS "Gottfried Semper" named after an important architect and was put into service in 1907 by the HADAG, the "Hamburg Dampferschiffart A.G."  It was in service until 1945 and then scrapped. Few photo's survived, finding these was not easy. (I've planned a posting with more great works of art showing Hamburg harbor "under steam") and also this ferryboat.

Odefey's initials (monogram) E. O. are sometimes confused with Emil Orlik, which lead to the local auctioneers mistaken attribution and now correct identification of the opening print. 

Ernst Odefy and Emil Orlik
I'm intrigued by the partly visible red mural/poster (the letters AB (B reversed)  and a seated figure(?)
,possibly a third layer in this early 1898 Orlik print.
 

The name (M ?) Kafka above the entrance and the black (William Nicholson-like) silhouette no doubt a tribute and portrait caricature of close friend Franz Kafka (1883-1924). They knew each other from childhood in Prague. Kafka visited Munich in 1903, 1911 and 1916. Orlik visited London and will have seen and known Nicholson's/Beggarstaf work. 

Odefey held a teaching position 1914-20 at the Kassel “Kunst Akademie” and was a member of the “Hamburgische Künstlergesellschaft” and the “Hamburger Künstlerverein”. Works are represented in collections of the “Kunsthalle Hamburg” and Hamburg “Museum für Hamburgische Geschichte”.

"Landungssteg und Blick über die Alster zur Altstadt"
The Alster and skyline of old Hamburg. 

There's not much more to be found or to go on in the "sources", the Internet and Artist Lexikons. 

This posting more or less summing up wat is known about Odefey's life and his printed oeuvre. Sending me pictures of other examples and all biographical facts will be welcomed open armed and shared in this humble Blog.

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