Elisabeth Schulz, Dresden painter and graphic artist

Elisabeth Sara von Schulz

(Dresden 28-10-1884 - 13-01-1968 Dresden)

Painter an graphic artist in Dresden

A Lisbeth Schultz, “Maler” is mentioned in Dresslers Kunsthandbuch 1930 at Wiltrudenstraße 5 in Munich.  Not Lisbet, not Schulz. Not Elisabeth Sara (von) Schulz. 

Confusing, if one is looking for an obscure printmaker, a graphic artist and a painter by that name not knowing if it is one or two persons. I learned the use of Schulz, Schultz, and Schulß are all “allowed” writing this family name in that period (before 1940).  

The Dresden painter was the daughter of “Generalleutnant” Richard Adolph von Schulz (1849-1923) and Adelheid Elisabeth Sahrer von Sahr (1855-?). She had two sisters: Marie Adelheid Schulz (1882-1948) and Margarethe Adolphine Schulz (1889-1959). Her father remaried Armgard Margarethe von Veltheim (1870-1939).They are all interred in Dresden in a family grave. 

  

She is also known to have used the name Sarette von Schulz (her friends used the call her “Sarettchen”) after Sara or after her mothers maiden family name Sahrer von Sahr.

The painter Elisabeth Sara (von) Schulz worked and lived in Dresden and had studied in “Karlsruhe Malerinnenschule” with Friedrich Fehr (1862-1927) and etcher Walter Conz (1872-1947), in Berlin with Johann Walter Kurau (1869-1932) and Hans Nadler (1879-1958) in Dresden. Her painting technique shows her great admiration for her Baltic teacher Kurau (who is also known as Johann Valters) and closely resembles his style and use paint and color.There is no mentioning of the painter ever having lived in Munich. 

Above Walter Kurau, below Elisabeth von Schulz

There are indications, master and student visiting the same location and perhaps even using the same nude model. Printmaker Eva Langkammer (1884-1956) was an important representative of Kurau’s important school of painting, 

Above Walter Kurau, middle Eva Langkammer, below Elisabeth von Schulz

She worked as a nurse in WWI.  In Dresden she met and became friends with modernist artists Elisabeth Ahnert (1885-1966), Albert Wigand (1890-1978) and Dresden printmaker Ruth Meier (1888-1965) and therefore also will have been acquainted with Dresden painting school owner Martha Schrag (1870-1957).

She is also graphically known by at least one etching showing Dresden and river Elbe, signed “Sarah Schulz”. Another composition has an illegible signature (Sara Schulz ?) but also uses a monogram (left, in a triangle) LS, which may be a clue to the suggestion the painter and printmaker might be the same artist................. or not.

The printmaker uses besides “Lisbet Schulz” the monogram “LS” while the painter used the initials E.S, EvS and SvS.  

To complicate things further: Lisbet Schulz, the printmaker, is mentioned in the archives of the “Letter Stiftung” in Cologne with dates (28-10-1884 – "last mentioned 1958"), the dates belonging to the painter Elisabeth Sara von Schulz (below).

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Please send any comment, corrections, suggestions, any biographical or artistic information on, and more examples of prints and paintings by this artist for sharing. 

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

Lisbet Schulz, was she, a Dresden printmaker ?

A collective and ultimate attempt to solve the mystery of the identity of this printmaker with the help of readers and passers-by of my humble Blog. 

Lisbet Schulz 
from Dresden ?

The printmaker 

In my ongoing research into the world of forgotten German women printmakers born in the 19th century I have discovered and revealed much, but there are still many identities to be cleared and many uncertainties to be solved. Recently I may have found a clue to who enigmatic printmaker Lisbet Schulz actually was (next posting).  

One of the most intriguing "only known by a name and a monogram" printmakers in my files and archive is Lisbet Schulz. Prints by her surface mostly in Germany but sometimes also in the Netherlands. But never a clue or a hint who she was, not an address not a birthday or a place of origin. And although much (almost all of Dresden with all its inhabitants living in the centre) was destroyed by allied bombing (considered by many an allied war crime) this printmaker is far to good to be so "unknown". Because of the nature of multipliable art, many copies were spread outside Dresden before hell brook loose over one of Germany's most  beautiful cities. To this moment however there's little to no trace of her identity. A faith that overcame also many (almost all), Jewish printmakers.  

This printmaker signs her work, deliberately, with the unusual Lisbet Schulz (not Lisbeth as in Elisabeth !) and/or uses in various forms the monogram LS. I do not know of any exception.

Lately so-called "Nachlass" (= from the estate of, or possibly even posthumously printed) prints come to the market so maybe there's some-one out there owning the original blocks. Typically they sometimes seem to lack a (or 2) two color blocks, so these sheets may be saved proofs or failures. There's also evidence she changed some of the compositions.  

These are the 17 examples that I've collected in my pictures archive from auction sites, catalogues and from readers who found me through earlier postings mentioning her. So for this special occasion and purpose only I share them in this posting. If you have other examples or better copies: please send and share !   

Lisbet Schulz seems to have had a weak for floral designs and birds. There's only one "geographical" print: this Hamburg view on the "Altstadt" (totally destroyed by allied bombing). 

In her floral prints her personal style is easily recognizable: from modest to somewhat extravagant. Recent discoveries show she was an exciting and very interesting printmaker, definitely not a good amateur. One of the top favorite prints in my personal collection of German woodblock prints by 19th century born German woman printmakers is her very large sunflowers print, bringing any wall in a joyful summer mood the way only sunflowers can do. 

Whenever there's any information given by auctioneers, it is always "Dresden Künstlerin" Lisbet Schulz. If more details are added the seem mostly derived from the Thieme-Becker Lexicon biography of Dresden painter Elisabeth Sarah von Schulz (1884-1963)) and in some semi- official archives Lisbet Schulz, the printmaker, actually = Elisabeth Sarah von Schulz although I've never seen any real evidence she is or was. The painter, who was also graphically active, will appear in the next posting.
  

I have not been able to find any mentioning of any biographical facts concerning the printmaker Lisbet Schulz. Which is surprising and is probably what made "the choice" for the painter a "logical one". So by way of exception, I decided it is high time to call in the troops and share what I have found to this moment and before publishing "the book" in which she will appear with the biographies of over 200 printmaking sisters active in Germany 1900-1940. 

From today I also make available my collection of male German printmakers for swapping or trading against desired prints by German women printmakers that may improve my personal collection. Feel free to ask.

PS:  I do not own all the prints shown, but would love to find and add others. (I have nrs.  5, 6, 7, 9, 14, 15 and 17)
   

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

All pictures are moms-clickable to embiggen.

    

Maria Delago, an unexpected pleasure

Maria Delago

(St. Leonhard im Passeier 11-01-1902 – 02-10-1979 Bresanone)

Austrian Arts and Crafts  and ceramic artist, sculptor and printmaker.  

Thanks to a helping hand and a hint from Lily (of the much missed Japonism blog) I recently came to know this artist. Although she is slightly outside my field of research (born just after 1900) I immediately have included her into my research and biographies list: like Lily I love an artist who just needs her garden to inspire her to such delicate creations of lasting beauty. 

(See also Marlies Meinshausen-Felsing, Thea Gutmann, Lisbet Schultz: follow labels below)   

These color etchings remind me strongly of the delicate floral prints by Scandinavian printmaker Maja Fjaested (1873-1961) whom I introduced earlier (here, or follow the label below) in 2011 in this Blog. 

Maria was the artistic daughter of a district judge and Rosa Amalia Plant. Studied 1922-1926 in the “Kunstgewerbeschule des Östereichischen Museum für Kunst und Industrie” in Vienna with sculptor, ceramist and glass artist Michael Powolny (1871-1954) (right). 

Powolny was a craftsman working in clay and glass and created some stunningly beautiful glasswork (for the famous Art Deco Bohemian glass company of Loetz) and worked also in relief. His experience and skills inspiring Maria Delago later to create her often biblically inspired stoneware plaquettes and some very beautiful earthenware pottery.   

In 1928 she studied in Munich “Kunstakademie” with cartoonist Olaf Gulbransson (1873-1958). Gulbransson, a Norwegian, friend of Max Liebermann and a member of the Berlin Secession since 1914 drew since 1902 for the satirical Simplicissimus Magazine. Just Google his name to enjoy his timeless humor and a 100 years later still very modern work. 

His views on how our creator sees upon us (without cloths) and when we have arrived at the end of our earthly time (just potty trained) are food for some serious reflection. 

But Gulbransson besides his satirical work also painted (below), portraits like Hans Holbein (1497-1543) (his wife Grete) and in his very "simple" Spring Landscape shows the origin and influence on Maria Delago's later botanical graphic work. 

She moved to, lived and worked in the city of Bolzana (Bozen) and in the 1930’s lived and worked for while in the Netherlands employed by the “Mosa” ceramics company in Maastricht. In 1948 she returned to her native region (Tirol, Austrian-Italian borderland) and established a studio in Bolzano (Bosen). 

In 1964 she received the “Walther von der Vogelweide”(*) price and was awarded a honorary membership of the “Südtiroler Künstlerbund” in 1968. Known for her delicate floral coloured etchings and ceramic reliefs of biblical themes.  She died of complications caused by a traffic accident.

(*) Walther von der Vogelweide (c.1170- c 1230): Germany's greatest Middle High German lyric Poet. Woodblock print by printmaker Carl Alexander Brendel (1877-1945)

Thank you Lily !

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