Viktor Pirkhoff (Part III) Cacti and Wildflowers

Viktor Pirkhoff

Part III

Cacti and wildflowers prints.

And some comparisons with contemporay artists.

Cactus prints

(the larger pictures by V. Pirkhoff)

Martin Erich Philipp (1887-1978)

Hugo Noske (1886-1960)

Sidonius von Schromm (1872-1948)

Wildflowers prints

Meryl Watts (1910-1992)

Ernst Rötteken (1882-1945)

Martin Erich Philipp(1887-1978)

Soon: Part IV: the Flower Bouquets by Viktor Pirkhoff.

Viktor Wolfgang Pirkhoff (I)

Viktor Wolfgang Pirkhoff

(3-12-1875 Prag - 11-9-1962 Brno)

Tjech painter, portraitist, printer.

A remarkable and wonderful thing happened. Miroslav, a distant relative of N.N. Pirkhoff (see posting of june 2010) found my blog. Or my Blog found him. This story a proof of the strength of the Internet connecting people.

Viktor Wolfgang Pirkoff born in Prag undoubtedly will have started his artistic training at the Prag Academy of Fine Arts (esth. 1799) but entered, probably somewhere in the mid 1890’s, the Académie Julian in Paris. This private Art school (famous painters and artists, like William Adolph Bouguereau (1825-1905), were invited to teach) was established in 1868 in the Quartier Latin preparing students for the exams of the Ecôle des Beaux Arts, the prestigious French State Art School.

Here the emphazis was on classic portrait and academic nude painting, like here in Bougereau's class room in the Academie Julian.

Viktor's self portraits show a self confident, well dresssed and aristocratic men.

Many foreign students followed courses and very modern, also allowing female students. I found some very interesting students attending classes: Arthur Wesley Dow (1857- 1922) was among them and Charles William Bartlett (1860-1940), both famous and influential printers later. And painters like Pierre Bonnard, André Derain, Childe Hassam (American Impressionist), Eduard Vuilllard, John Singer Sargent and Alphons Mucha. All very International.

We find Viktor W. Pirkhoff in his mid thirties a professor in Zurich (probably at the Zurich Kunstakadémie) from 1908-1910 and returning to Paris until the beginning of WWI (1914) then moving to Vienna, Austria.

The artist rooms (oil).

He was commissioned to portrait the Habsburg royal family,

1916: Otto von Habsburg (born 1912, died 2007) crown prince of Austria & Hongaria, son of the last Emperor Karl I

was acquainted with composer Franz Léhar (he made a cover for one his compositions according to this “thank you” photograph from the maestro and made a portrait of the last King of Egypt: Farouk I (born 1920, crowned 1936), probably when he visited Geneva in 1937.

Franz Léhar (l), Arch Duke Friedrich von Habsburg (r)

King Farouk of Egypt 1937

It is said that Pirkoff exhibited in many countries even in New York. This maybe explaining why the only 3 pictures I was able to find untill this day were related to auctions from America.

Although the Pirkhoffs lost their only child (a son) he seemed to do well as an artist in Austria. Until 1938 (he was then 63). As a jew he fled from Austria after “der Anschluss” (Austria joining the Nazis) and returned to his native country.

Next I shall tell you what happened to Viktor Pirkoff after 1945. His ordeal wasn't over yet. I am about to unveil a great collection of extraordinary fine woodblock prints never seen publicly for probably the last 70 years. Thanks to Miroslav who send me many pictures of this hidden treasure to share with you on my humble Blog. And whom I promised to do my best to give this artist the new attention he deserves.

R. Novotny

R. Novotny

Tzech or Hongarian Printer ?

Stumbling over this woodblock print with great colours on Ebay and later finding that Clive wrote a recommendation about it was a bit of a revelation. I think in his description he said "in the old tradition but as late as 1965". That date is written in pencil with a signature: R. Novotny and a title in german: "Abendfrieden" (Evening Peace) I tried hard finding R. Novotny. But although a hord of Novotnys is mentioned in the AKL , the beyond praise German Algemeine Künstler Lexikon not one Novotny in there with first name R. There is one Emile Robert Novotny (1898 -1975) that data could "fit" but if he is the one ? He is mentioned to be a figure and landscape painter, a graphics artist and Linocutter (!)

Recently a very nice oil painting by Emile Robert Novotny was offered on Ebay and sold. I just show it here because it was a very nice painting. A lot of attention for circus paintings because it sold at a very good price !

There were just so many good graphical artists (1900-1960) in Hungary in perticular. More per capita then in any other country. As was the case in Germany. Many a good artist in those days is completely without record or trace of their lives and works in our days. This Blog is all about trying to find out.

The Abendfrieden print after some debating (but nobody wanted it) with the seller changed hands as you will have gathered by now.

Vladislav Röhling Part I: Praque, the 4 seasons

Vladislav Röhling

(1878 - 1949)

Tjech Printmaker, Painter, Etcher and Ex-libris artist.

Not speaking Tjech or even understanding the language at first I didnot know what my "Rainy Square in Prague with St. Nicolas Church print" was. Other than beautifull. Until I studied a Tjech auction cataloque and did some easy translating

My print was called Sv Mikulás (zima). Zima for winter. So I learned of existing Spring and Summer and Fall. The 4 seasons in Praque. Around 1940.

Here they are with more or less matching pictures from today Prague. The 1000 year city.

Winter: sv. Mikulás (zima) Old Town square with St. Nicholas church

Spring: Hradcany s letné (jaro): the castle on the hill dominating Praque as seen from the Old Town

Summer: Pohled s nábrezi (leto): View on Moldau embankments as seen from the Old Town

Fall: Sala Terrana Valstynského (podzim) Waldsteingardens with Sala terrana

Pretty accurate was Vladislav. In a Part 2 I'll show you some more examples of his art and more views on Praque.