DOI Heft:
Nr. 143 (February 1905)
DOI Artikel:Singer, Hans Wolfgang: The work of Otto Fischer
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.20711#0062
Otto Fischer
He has etched landscapes almost exclusively, from any plate Whistler ever did, there is this
Visits to Hessia and Holland furnished him sparely similarity between them and Whistler's best
with subjects for his needle ; but repeated trips to work, that neither artist ever uses a single line
the Island of Riigen, and a journey to Bornholm thoughtlessly. There is no meaningless zigzag
in the Baltic, besides the country round about or other amateurish effort to fill up a plate.
Dresden, offered a great number of congenial This is masterly technique, but the nobility of
themes. Of the earlier work, three little plates conception apparent is to be ranked still higher,
of Riigen seem to me the most successful. Rarely It is rare for an artist to extract with as happy a
do etchings combine all the virtues of true style, success as in this case the essence of nature, to
rarely are they so entirely free from pandering to resist the seductive beckonings which would lead
vulgar tastes as these. They are a pleasure to him away to realism. A landscape as seen by
look at simply as examples of a superb line decora- Fischer is stripped of all casual appearance inci-
tion, even before we attempt to appreciate their dent to it perhaps only on one particular day, and
beauty of conception and draughtsmanship. These it presents only those features that are its lasting
were executed as early as 1896. The plates done, characteristics. On the other hand, it is by no
in 1901, at Bornholm are more ambitious, but hardly means a hollow abstraction out of which the life-
superior in quality. It is only quite recently that blood has been sucked during the process of purifica-
Fischer may be said to have surpassed those Riigen tion. He simplifies, but he does not systematise
etchings. We may admit this much, however, with It is the primary feature of Fischer's power as an
regard to his two large dry-point landscapes. They artist that he is able to present us with a picture of
are indeed masterly productions, betraying an abso- nature which is clearly recognisable as such, and
lute command over and most intimate knowledge of yet utterly dispenses with all the petty ephemeral,
his material. The burr has been made bearer of a photographic detail upon which others base their
most powerful effect, and although quite different endeavours to attain "likeness."
'A LAKE IN THE SILESIAN RIESEXGEBIRGE " FROM THE-PASTEL DRAWING BY OTTO FISCHER
(By permission of Mr. Ernst Arnold, Dresden)
46
He has etched landscapes almost exclusively, from any plate Whistler ever did, there is this
Visits to Hessia and Holland furnished him sparely similarity between them and Whistler's best
with subjects for his needle ; but repeated trips to work, that neither artist ever uses a single line
the Island of Riigen, and a journey to Bornholm thoughtlessly. There is no meaningless zigzag
in the Baltic, besides the country round about or other amateurish effort to fill up a plate.
Dresden, offered a great number of congenial This is masterly technique, but the nobility of
themes. Of the earlier work, three little plates conception apparent is to be ranked still higher,
of Riigen seem to me the most successful. Rarely It is rare for an artist to extract with as happy a
do etchings combine all the virtues of true style, success as in this case the essence of nature, to
rarely are they so entirely free from pandering to resist the seductive beckonings which would lead
vulgar tastes as these. They are a pleasure to him away to realism. A landscape as seen by
look at simply as examples of a superb line decora- Fischer is stripped of all casual appearance inci-
tion, even before we attempt to appreciate their dent to it perhaps only on one particular day, and
beauty of conception and draughtsmanship. These it presents only those features that are its lasting
were executed as early as 1896. The plates done, characteristics. On the other hand, it is by no
in 1901, at Bornholm are more ambitious, but hardly means a hollow abstraction out of which the life-
superior in quality. It is only quite recently that blood has been sucked during the process of purifica-
Fischer may be said to have surpassed those Riigen tion. He simplifies, but he does not systematise
etchings. We may admit this much, however, with It is the primary feature of Fischer's power as an
regard to his two large dry-point landscapes. They artist that he is able to present us with a picture of
are indeed masterly productions, betraying an abso- nature which is clearly recognisable as such, and
lute command over and most intimate knowledge of yet utterly dispenses with all the petty ephemeral,
his material. The burr has been made bearer of a photographic detail upon which others base their
most powerful effect, and although quite different endeavours to attain "likeness."
'A LAKE IN THE SILESIAN RIESEXGEBIRGE " FROM THE-PASTEL DRAWING BY OTTO FISCHER
(By permission of Mr. Ernst Arnold, Dresden)
46