Academic Nudes of the 19th Century: 2011-10-16

Saturday, October 22, 2011

Theodor Krause (1868-1956) Stehender Nackter Jungling - Standing Nude Male Youth

The Theodor Krause academic drawing of a standing nude youth arrived this morning from the Leipzig Auction house. I scanned it in two pieces and stitched it together so that the detail in the drawing could be seen easily. (below)
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Carlos Grethe (1864-1913) Gegen den Strom (Against the Current) Circa 1900

This is a little off topic but bear with me and enjoy this fine work. It may stimulate some creative juices out there. This morning I browsed the current auction catalog of Auctionshaus Geble, Radolfzell, DE and this fine painting really took my breath away. Sometimes I am browsing along, going through hundreds of artworks looking for exceptional nudes and all of a sudden something else catches my eye. Although this painting is outside my collecting purview, to my eye it really represents a perfect collective storm of drawing, composition, movement, creating and releasing stress, color, brushstroke, and just plain perfect draftsmanship. Carlos Grethe (1864-1913) was a member of the Munich Seccession and co-founder of the Stuttgard and Karlsruhe Artists Association during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He is well known as a marine and genre painter. This particular painting, according to the description, was exhibited at the Leipzig Art Association Exhibition. The title of the painting is: Gegen den Strom (Against the Current).
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Friday, October 21, 2011

Rudolf Henn (1880-1955) Nackter Jungling mit Spiegel (Nude Ephebe with Mirror) Ca. 1900

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I am happy to say that this beautiful utilitarian bronze of an ephebe holding a mirror will be coming into my collection next week. I took the lot in an auction in Germany yesterday.

Rudolf Henn (1880-1955) did numerous sculptures during the Art Deco period. He is well known for his fountains and small idealized bronzes. He was also a noted WPA sculptor who lived in New York and worked with Heinz Warneke, Theodore Barbarossa, Richmond Barthe, and Erwin Springweiller for four years on the Harlem River Houses Project in NYC. Many of his bronze artworks are of children and include fountain sculptures.
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