Mathilde Reuss: a royal printmaker and a puzzle

Reuss, Mathilde

(Dresden 19-03-1853 – 1933 Dresden)
Princes and once heir to the throne of Saxony.

painter an printmaker.

(added 1-november 2015) It has become clear that the princes Mathilde is not identical with Mathilde Reuss, student of Angelo Jank and working in Munich. Mathilde Reuss known from a handful of color woodblock prints will be treated in an updated posting based on new information soon.   

Planning to compose a book on the first generation of German women  printmakers, born 1855-1900 and active before WWII I'm doing a lot of research lately, reading and checking biographies. Trying to fill up gaps and often starting with nothing. Like in this case. Who ever heard of Mathilde Reuss now considering there are two printmakers with that name.

It's combining archived pictures of prints gathered from old auction catalogues, books, on-line auction sites etcetera and the result of some serious puzzling together fragments, bits and pieces of facts and data. Today an example of my efforts unobscuring a forgotten and before unknown (unidentified) printmaking artist. My genealogical experience helping sometimes. 

The signature reads: Mathilde Reuß, München.  

Besides: Reuss or Reuß isn't a usual or "common" German family name either. It belongs to the House of Sachsen (Saxony), German (intermarried) royalty. Inherited from her great-great grandmother maternal: Countess Auguste Caroline Sophie Reuß zu Ebersdorf (1757 - 1831). Maybe her monogram in this African Storches or Marabus print is hinting at her royal status. RMR. the second R for Royal or Regina ?

Poster for the exhibition "Frauenkunst zum Besten fuhr Mutter und Kind" for the "Illustrierte Zeitung", Dresden 1912. 

So her full name is:  Mathilde Marie Auguste Viktorie Leopoldine Karoline Luise Franziska Josepha of Saxony, Duchess of Saxony. Eldest surviving daughter of King (for two years 1902-1904) George of Saxony  (1832-1904) and Maria Anna of Portugal (1843-1884). (They had 8 children but before Mathilde 2 girls died in infancy).

 Dresden Zoo Marabus or African Storks. Etching by Martin Erich Philipp

Princess Mathilde stayed unhappy and unmarried after being refused and rejected an arranged marriage by her fathers strategic choices. Twice. She was not a beauty and the lucky candidates obviously pernickety. Leaving the poor girl embittered,  seeking consolation in alcohol she was nicknamed “Schnapps Mathilde” by the Saxons. What a sad story. 

Marabus by Helene Grande-Tupke (1871-1946), in Breslau or Dresden Zoo.

Nevertheless Mathilde took up a career of painting and printmaking following painting lessons in Dresden with Alfred Diethe (1836-1919) from 1890 to 1901. And she was rich enough to have asked Norbertine Bresslern Roth (1891-1978) for some good advice because looking at her Marabus print she obviously was acquainted with her work. She certainly could afford summoning every artist in the land to her house in Dresden. 

She was given this villa in Dresden Hosterwitz. The von Sachsen-Coburgs were immensely, filthy rich: British Queen Victoria was one (by her mother) and she married one (prince Albert). Best way of keeping the money in the family and when you're lucky the children will turn out not too bad. Here Mathilde stayed, traveling, painting, making prints and posters, illustrating a book or two and maybe drinking once in while reflecting how her life would have looked like if she had married, had children like 3 of her 5 brothers and sister. Aunty Mathilde died in the villa aged 70 in 1933. What was left of the great house after the rage of WWII was broken up in shelters for the homeless first and later converted into dwellings for ordinary people. 

A bookplate made for Mathilde Reuss by Ferdinand Nockher, a Munich painter, illustrator and bookplate (ex-libris) maker.

See also the before posting for the Marabu print by Philipp Reisdorff: a coincidence. 

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

The Marabu print by HTG: from the Japonism Blog. Thank you Lilly!

Moritz von Gruenewaldt, in Dresden Zoo ?

Otto Robert 

Moritz von Gruenewaldt

(1870 born Estonia – 1933 died Münich)

Estonian-German bookplate artist

and woodblock printmaker.

I don’t think many people ever heard of this artist except maybe the bookplate collector. A handful of bookplates can be found Googling, exquisite miniatures,  and there has been a folio (or book) in existence showing this work in the first decade of the 20^th century. 

This lovely print of a duck very reminding of the William Nicholson (1872-1949) duck from his Square Book of Animals (1899) but also of Hilde Exner's (1880-1922) pigeons, of the Ver Sacrum (or Vienna Secession) period: 1903. 

Otto Robert's aristocratic portrait I've found in the Estonian archives of the “Korporatsioon Livonia” the student club of the Tartu (Dorpat) University where he was a member 1890-1891. This university was established 1632, when the Swedes ruled, and was preceded by an even older Gymnasium. 

Under Russian Rule since 1710, the (a) Moritz von Gruenewaldt family even made it to governor halfway the 19th century but I have no idea if this has any relation with Otto Roberts branch of the family. 10 years before an Otto Ernst Moritz von G. (b.1860) was also a student member but he was inscribed a law student a decade before in 1880, he was born in St. Petersburg, Russia. It was in this membership archive he was named Otto Robert. All later reference only speaking of Moritz von Gruenewaldt. The signature is always "M.v.Grunewaldt". Confusing.

Not long ago I saw a woodblock print that made me strongly think of Martin Erich Philipp, the pictures not good enough to identify the signature then. It was just the sort of “déja vu” discovering the prints of Walter Helfenbein (1893-1984). I introduced this Dresden artist recently here*. I have a strong feeling both men were in Dresden Zoo with Philipp. It was the "Crowned Crane" print below. 

And then recently I saw another one but now recognizing the style and the signature. Both prints, the "Crowned Crane" and the "Lady Amhurst Pheasant" probably have belonged together (the one below had a Berlin dealer label) because, with some time in between they were offered by the same seller.

And from a collectors point of view they, “of course”, should have stayed  together or at least be re-united some day. But I can only conclude they aren’t anymore. Maybe one day they will, who knows. Whoever has the Crane, maybe stumbling over this posting, he or she may contact me any time. 

Written in pencil on the back of the small sheet (it measures only 12 x 18 cm.) a to me not readable text (in Fraktur Schrift: "zum kleinen lieben …..probably ending with: ….. von ….Grünewaldt.") and the date: October 1925. Maybe there's a clue. Maybe a certain German collector who helped out before can.   

 Martin Erich Philipp's prints of Dresden Zoo Pheasants and Cranes from a around decade before. 

This posting summing up what I’ve discovered so far on this forgotten,  obscured but talented artist. Any additions, corrections or comments are as always very welcome.

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

Walter Helfenbein: Birds from Dresden Zoo

Walter Helfenbein

(1893-1984)

German graphic artist, 
 woodblock printmaker, lithographer, ex-libris maker and etcher. 

Helfenbein started his career as a self taught artist but later was a student at the Kunstgewerbeschule (Arts and Crafts School) in Dresden.

In the past year or so several bird prints printed "a la manière de" Martin Erich Philipp (1887-1978) surfaced and have been auctioned and sold in German Ebay. There's no doubt he was more then just inspired by but learned the art (craft) from MEPH. When I saw the first one I even was under the impression Philipp may have created prints under a pseudonym. 

Maybe Walter was a close friend or they've met in the Arts and Craft School or possibly even at Dresden Zoo's Aviary where Helfenbein choose probably the same (group of) birds, in several of his prints like the above "Kardinäle" and "Webervögel" (Cardinals and Weaverbirds) but on the other hand Helfenbein was even more attracted to the more spectacular and extremely feathered species in Dresden Zoo Aviary. 

Besides their love for birds both men shared their skills as animal sketchers, and both were drawn towards drawing, etching the female nude in all glory as they were drawn towards printing erotic, you may say slightly pornographic scenes. In the end Helfenbein was best remembered for the numerous ex-libris he created. I will show examples of Helfenbein's other graphic work in a following posting.  

A species of Fork Tailed Hummingbird (Kolibri)

A species of Paradise Bird (Paradiesvogel)

"Prachtdrossel" (Pitta or Passerine bird) 

"Weidehopf" (Hoopu)

Comparing these birdprints I believe MEPH was the more artistic and original printmaker but technically their skills matched. Even Philipps wife Else Staps (I have no biographical data) joined the men in the Aviary and created several bird prints in her husbands specific style. I must remember to look up the species she choose one day. Although the birds look exotic the flowering trees seem to be "ordinary" Forsytia and a blossoming apple-tree (?) 

Else Staps also choose "common" birds from her garden, like her husband did, and printed this lovely titmouse with rose-hips in winter from 5 or 6 blocks. 

All pictures borrowed freely from the www for educational and non commercial use only.