19th Century Continental Painter: Mother With Playing Children

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Auctionshaus Michael Zeller, Lindau, DE. just listed this beautiful work in their current auction catalog. They list the title as "Motherhood - Mother with Two Playing Children," but the overall feel to my eye is a nontraditional "Madonna with Christ and St. John." That standing nude boy has that "Christ Child" look to his demeanor. One man's portrait is another man's stylized elephant, I guess. It is a beautifully executed work regardless the subject matter and applied title.
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Maz Slevogt (1868-1932): Der Triumph des Gambrinus (The Triumph of Gambrinus) 1928

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Max Slevogt - Self-portrait

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Galerie Bassenge, Berlin, DE. has recently listed a work by Max Slevogt (1868-1932)(directly below) in their auction catalog. It is a gouache and watercolor on vellum and dates from 1928. The title is: Der Triumph of Gambrinus (The Triumph of Gambinus). The work is a study for a life sized wall painting that Slevogt created for the former Berliner Kindl Brewery, which was destroyed during the Second World war. The artwork is in a pyramidal composition wherein the main character is Gambrinus supported by two smaller satyrs and his club. If you are not familiar with King Gambrinus and you are a beer drinker, then you should be ashamed of yourself. King Bambrinus was alleged to be the inventor of beer brewing and is said to have learned the craft of brewing from his mother, the ancient Egyptian Queen Isis. With its subdued colors and fresh lively drawing, this is truly an imaginative work.

Max Slevogt was a German Impressionist painter and illustrator, and along with Lovis Corinth and Max Liebermann, was one of Germany's premier plein air style painters. He studied at the Munich Academy from 1885-1889. He traveled to Paris in 1889 where he attended the Academe Julian. He had his first solo exhibition in Vienna in 1897. In 1900 he was represented in the German pavilion of the World Exhibition with the work Scheherezade. During WWI he acted as an official war painter to the western front. In 1901 he joined the Berlin Secession.

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Here is a sampling of his other works:

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Die Ringerschule

Frauenraub

Faun & a Girl

The Family

Danae

Achiles

G. Thurmann (Active Early 20th Cent.) The View

After chasing a bunch of Jehovah's Witnesses from my front door a few minutes ago, making sure they knew that I shoot religious pretenders on sight when they tresspass on my property, I needed a good laugh and this one did it for me. Kunstauktionshaus Leipzig has this little jewel in their current catalog. When I saw it I had a good loud laugh and wanted to share it with you. The title is "The View." Just like a bunch of boys!
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Erica Lee (Active 1920-1960): Two Youths Playing on a Beach - 1934

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Yesterday I was doing some creative browsing of Antiques sites in the UK and I stumbled upon this beautiful bronze. I am always on the lookout for works by female artists from the Golden Age of the Academie because they tend to be women who were trend setters in the 19th century man's world. This work is by the English artist Erica Lee (active 1920-1960). She was born in Manchester in the late 19th century and studied under Edwin Whitney Smith (1880-1908) and Sir William Dick (1878-1961)(Scottish Sculptor). She exhibited frequently at the Royal Academy, The Royal Scottish Academy, The Glasglow Institute and other provincial galleries, as well as the Salon des Artistes Francais. She specialized in sculptural heads, busts, and portrait reliefs in terra cotta and bronze. She was a member of the Society of Portrait Sculptures. She was very active during the inter-war period. This bronze caught my eye because of the playful movement and absolute spontaneity of the work. Apparently, this particular bronze was featured on Antiques Roadshow (UK version) in 2000. After the broadcast a viewer recognized the sculptor because he was the model for the recumbent boy at age eleven. (Illustrations and commentary courtesy Richard Gardner Antiques).
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Hans Muller (1873-1937): Male Nude Riding a Horse - Bronze. ca 1920

As I was doing some additional research on Hans Muller (1873-1937), I was sitting here scratching my head pondering where in the heck I had seen that name on a bronze that I own. Then it hit me. Sitting on a table near the front door, a door I seldom use since I come and go through the garage most of the time, rests a bronze of a male nude rider astride a stallion. I have had this bronze for more years than I care to remember. I bought it at a grubby Flea Market in Orlando years ago. The price was right and I bought it. I grabbed it from its resting place and shot a few photographs for this post. I also found more bronze works by Muller and listed them below. Enjoy.
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Here are a few more Hans Muller Bronzes for you:

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Hans Muller (1873-1937) David mit dem Kopf des Goliath - Bronze; (?) Neeb - Young Faun - Bronze

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Well, I will be adding two new bronzes to my collection. The Auction House in Germany has sent notification that I won the two lots: Hans Muller's "David with the Head of Goliath" and a bronze titled: "Young Faun" by an unknown German artist with the last name of "Neeb." I will photograph them and post the results when they arrive from Germany.
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Caption: Junger Faun (Young Faun)

Artist: (?) Neeb (Late 19th-Early 20th Cent.)

Material: Cast Bronze

Dated (1904)

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Hans Muller (1873-1937) was a sculptor in Vienna. He was a pupil of Kuehne and Hellmer.

Caption: David mit dem Kopf des Goliath (David with the Head of Goliath)

Artist: Hans Muller (1873-1937)

Material: Cast Bronze

Dated: 1900-1910

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Here is another example of Hans Muller's fine bronze works:

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Giulio Campi (1502-1572): Auferstehung Christi (Resurrection of Christ)

I was browsing through my usual haunts this morning and I stumbled upon this drawing by Giulio Campi (1502-1572) titled Auferstehung Christi. My casual method of scanning through hundreds of works is simply to let my eye react to some aspect of a work as it flashes by, looking for a nude form. Secondarily, like that game of "Where's Waldo?", I react to hidden eroticism. When I saw this drawing my eye was drawn to that figure leaning against the wall with his hand around what at first look appeared to be his personal and private member. Is he masturbating? What's going on? With a closer look, it became clear that what he actually held in his hand was the hilt of his sword. I have spotted additional erotic aspects to this composition. See if you can spot them too.
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