DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.56809#0013
RICHARD ROBINOW
born in Hamburg on June 14th, 1867, was the son of an eminent Hamburg
merchant who had played an important role in the administration of his
native town. When the question of his career arose, Richard Robinow
decided to become an architect but his father considered his drawing ability
insufficient for this profession and persuaded him to study law. — His
profession as lawyer fascinated him, he soon gained success and attained
a leading position in the legal world; real satisfaction and delight, however,
he found in the study of art. During his University days in Munich and
Leipzig he laid the foundations of his collection; it was in the years 1887
1888 that he acquired the first etchings of Rembrandt and Ostade, the
masters who remained his favourites until the end of his life. After 1918,
when he returned from the first world war, he began to take an interest
in Goya.
A special attraction for him was provided by occasional visits to
auctions at Boerner’s in Leipzig from which, after careful examination,
he returned happily with fresh acquisitions. His purchases were quite
independent, neither bound by fashion nor influenced by others.
In spite of his love for Old Masters, he had great interest and under-
standing for modern art. Contemporary artists like Liebermann, Munch,
Zorn, Corinth, K. Kollwitz, Nolde and Kokoshka were represented in
his collection by many lovely prints.
His chief interest was always in the Portrait. He possessed a collection
of many engravings amongst them works of Nanteuil, Morin, G. F. Schmidt
and others, and he often tried to encourage the appreciation of this now
sometimes neglected form of art in the minds of the rising generation. He
himself had his portrait engraved by several young Hamburg artists and the
best of these etchings, by the then twenty-four years old Franz Nolken, is
reproduced as the frontispiece of this catalogue. After the early death of
this gifted artist, Richard Robinow compiled a catalogue with descriptions
of all his graphic works.
The love of art, the joys of collecting and his personal friendship
with many artists enriched his life and strengthened him in the belief
that true art will always triumph over the failings and passions of our
time. — He died in London on November 16th, 1945.
born in Hamburg on June 14th, 1867, was the son of an eminent Hamburg
merchant who had played an important role in the administration of his
native town. When the question of his career arose, Richard Robinow
decided to become an architect but his father considered his drawing ability
insufficient for this profession and persuaded him to study law. — His
profession as lawyer fascinated him, he soon gained success and attained
a leading position in the legal world; real satisfaction and delight, however,
he found in the study of art. During his University days in Munich and
Leipzig he laid the foundations of his collection; it was in the years 1887
1888 that he acquired the first etchings of Rembrandt and Ostade, the
masters who remained his favourites until the end of his life. After 1918,
when he returned from the first world war, he began to take an interest
in Goya.
A special attraction for him was provided by occasional visits to
auctions at Boerner’s in Leipzig from which, after careful examination,
he returned happily with fresh acquisitions. His purchases were quite
independent, neither bound by fashion nor influenced by others.
In spite of his love for Old Masters, he had great interest and under-
standing for modern art. Contemporary artists like Liebermann, Munch,
Zorn, Corinth, K. Kollwitz, Nolde and Kokoshka were represented in
his collection by many lovely prints.
His chief interest was always in the Portrait. He possessed a collection
of many engravings amongst them works of Nanteuil, Morin, G. F. Schmidt
and others, and he often tried to encourage the appreciation of this now
sometimes neglected form of art in the minds of the rising generation. He
himself had his portrait engraved by several young Hamburg artists and the
best of these etchings, by the then twenty-four years old Franz Nolken, is
reproduced as the frontispiece of this catalogue. After the early death of
this gifted artist, Richard Robinow compiled a catalogue with descriptions
of all his graphic works.
The love of art, the joys of collecting and his personal friendship
with many artists enriched his life and strengthened him in the belief
that true art will always triumph over the failings and passions of our
time. — He died in London on November 16th, 1945.
