DOI Heft:
Nr. 115 (October 1902)
DOI Artikel:Studio-talk
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.19877#0081
Studio-Talk
The " Scholle " is an association of young men,
who have established an independent exhibi-
tion society. Artistically they are all closely related
to each other, although none resembles the other,
everyone going his own way. Broadly considered,
their method of painting represents an assimi-
lation of young Viennese asstheticism with
Munich town-farmerdom. They are endeavouring
to effect a revival of easel work on decorative
foundations.
Every one of their pictures becomes with them
an adventure, in which they stake their style no
less than their imagination. Indefatigably, they
seek for something new, indefatigably they test
themselves and those who visit their exhibition.
Each of their pictures must explain itself. One
cannot learn any of them by heart, nor can one
overlook any. Notable among them is Fritz Erler,
who has to some extent made a name for himself,
and who has also been at work as the inventor of
applied art designs. By the side of Erler, R. M.
Eichler distinguishes himself by his quartet of
Munich burgers, who are vocally celebrating the
beauty of a forest hard by on a hill above a valley
—a work of much humour. Another painting of
note is a scene entitled Feuerjo, by Walther Georgi,
representing the burning of a rococo castle. The
picture is one of the most curious combinations
of romance and reality I have ever met with.
It would lead too far to treat in detail the other
interesting works of the " Scholle," but a few
remarks must be made regarding the other parts
of the .exhibition. Attention should be directed
to the exhibition of works left by Ernst Zimmer-
mann and Otto Faber du Faure. The former was
chiefly an ecclesiastical painter, the latter choosing
exclusively military subjects. Zimmermann passed
through all the changes in painting at Munich
during the last thirty years. He was a painter of
merit, rather learned than creative. His studies of
nature, especially his incomparable still-life fish,
are far superior to his works on religious subjects.
O. Faber du Faure, throughout his life, never got
beyond a certain dilettantism. He was auto-
didactic, was enthusiastic about Delacroix, and
had some training by Piloty. Being a retired
officer, he was so fond of the horse that not one
of his pictures is without a mounted figure. His
central point was the horse, everything else was
secondary, and in consequence his pictures were
mere sketches rather than complete paintings.
Whatever there is of the " Kiinstlergenossen-
schaft" in the Glaspalast may be passed over, as,
with a few exceptions, everything belongs to the
past. Even Lenbach and F. A. Kaulbach have
not been especially fortunate this year, and a great
landscape, Nach der Siindfluth, by Willroder, strikes
one more by its size than by its merits as a painting.
There is some fresh life, although nothing of a
creative character, in the " Luitpold Group," a near
relative of the " Genossenschaft." The members
of this association endeavour to temporise between
the old and new tendencies, by going formally
with the Secession and actually with the Glas-
palast community. In the Secession the band of
those who worship at the shrine of light and im-
pressionism is gradually shrinking.
On the whole we are scarcely justified in re-
proaching the Munich artists too severely on
account of the waning of their prestige. The
situation at Berlin, at Diisseldorf, at Karlsruhe,
at Dresden does not differ much from that on the
Isar. The whole German art-world, after working
very industriously all the morning, is having a kind
of siesta. As soon as it has rested a little it will
resume its afternoon work, doubtless with fresh
courage and fresh vigour.
A most unpleasant incident, which will hardly
be comprehensible to foreign readers, has for some
weeks kept artistic circles here in a ferment. The
Ultramontane party in the Bavarian Assembly had
the bad taste to throw out the clause in the budget
providing for any outlay on art, because the
Minister for Education, Herr Landmann, whom
they found valuable for their ends, was obliged,
not altogether willingly, to resign.
From the earliest days of the Bavarian kingdom,
in the time of Napoleon and the Rhenish Federa-
tion, there has been a majority in the Assembly
averse to educational advance, and only a mi-
nority in its favour. At the head of the former
stand the lower ranks of the Roman Catholic
priesthood, while the Royal Family of Bavaria lead
the minority. It is well known that strong opposi-
tion was encountered by Ludwig I., the real
founder of Munich as an artistic centre, and by
his gifted grandson, Ludwig II., the friend of
Richard Wagner, in their efforts for the advance-
ment of art in their realm. In the course of ten
years a regular system was organised by the clerical
opposition of attacking the sovereign princes in
69
The " Scholle " is an association of young men,
who have established an independent exhibi-
tion society. Artistically they are all closely related
to each other, although none resembles the other,
everyone going his own way. Broadly considered,
their method of painting represents an assimi-
lation of young Viennese asstheticism with
Munich town-farmerdom. They are endeavouring
to effect a revival of easel work on decorative
foundations.
Every one of their pictures becomes with them
an adventure, in which they stake their style no
less than their imagination. Indefatigably, they
seek for something new, indefatigably they test
themselves and those who visit their exhibition.
Each of their pictures must explain itself. One
cannot learn any of them by heart, nor can one
overlook any. Notable among them is Fritz Erler,
who has to some extent made a name for himself,
and who has also been at work as the inventor of
applied art designs. By the side of Erler, R. M.
Eichler distinguishes himself by his quartet of
Munich burgers, who are vocally celebrating the
beauty of a forest hard by on a hill above a valley
—a work of much humour. Another painting of
note is a scene entitled Feuerjo, by Walther Georgi,
representing the burning of a rococo castle. The
picture is one of the most curious combinations
of romance and reality I have ever met with.
It would lead too far to treat in detail the other
interesting works of the " Scholle," but a few
remarks must be made regarding the other parts
of the .exhibition. Attention should be directed
to the exhibition of works left by Ernst Zimmer-
mann and Otto Faber du Faure. The former was
chiefly an ecclesiastical painter, the latter choosing
exclusively military subjects. Zimmermann passed
through all the changes in painting at Munich
during the last thirty years. He was a painter of
merit, rather learned than creative. His studies of
nature, especially his incomparable still-life fish,
are far superior to his works on religious subjects.
O. Faber du Faure, throughout his life, never got
beyond a certain dilettantism. He was auto-
didactic, was enthusiastic about Delacroix, and
had some training by Piloty. Being a retired
officer, he was so fond of the horse that not one
of his pictures is without a mounted figure. His
central point was the horse, everything else was
secondary, and in consequence his pictures were
mere sketches rather than complete paintings.
Whatever there is of the " Kiinstlergenossen-
schaft" in the Glaspalast may be passed over, as,
with a few exceptions, everything belongs to the
past. Even Lenbach and F. A. Kaulbach have
not been especially fortunate this year, and a great
landscape, Nach der Siindfluth, by Willroder, strikes
one more by its size than by its merits as a painting.
There is some fresh life, although nothing of a
creative character, in the " Luitpold Group," a near
relative of the " Genossenschaft." The members
of this association endeavour to temporise between
the old and new tendencies, by going formally
with the Secession and actually with the Glas-
palast community. In the Secession the band of
those who worship at the shrine of light and im-
pressionism is gradually shrinking.
On the whole we are scarcely justified in re-
proaching the Munich artists too severely on
account of the waning of their prestige. The
situation at Berlin, at Diisseldorf, at Karlsruhe,
at Dresden does not differ much from that on the
Isar. The whole German art-world, after working
very industriously all the morning, is having a kind
of siesta. As soon as it has rested a little it will
resume its afternoon work, doubtless with fresh
courage and fresh vigour.
A most unpleasant incident, which will hardly
be comprehensible to foreign readers, has for some
weeks kept artistic circles here in a ferment. The
Ultramontane party in the Bavarian Assembly had
the bad taste to throw out the clause in the budget
providing for any outlay on art, because the
Minister for Education, Herr Landmann, whom
they found valuable for their ends, was obliged,
not altogether willingly, to resign.
From the earliest days of the Bavarian kingdom,
in the time of Napoleon and the Rhenish Federa-
tion, there has been a majority in the Assembly
averse to educational advance, and only a mi-
nority in its favour. At the head of the former
stand the lower ranks of the Roman Catholic
priesthood, while the Royal Family of Bavaria lead
the minority. It is well known that strong opposi-
tion was encountered by Ludwig I., the real
founder of Munich as an artistic centre, and by
his gifted grandson, Ludwig II., the friend of
Richard Wagner, in their efforts for the advance-
ment of art in their realm. In the course of ten
years a regular system was organised by the clerical
opposition of attacking the sovereign princes in
69