Studio: international art (44.1908)

Ludwig Michalek

true beauty of style. It is when the struggle
between a lagging hand and a hurrying imagination
is overcome that the certain result can be expected
and successes cease to be more than happy
accidents. A. L. B.

AN AUSTRIAN • PAINTER-
ETCHER: LUDWIG MICHALEK.

In the Special Number which The
Studio devoted to “The Art Revival in Austria ”
two years ago, examples were given of the woik of
Ludwig Michalek, one of the most versatile of the
present generation of Viennese artists. His
versatility is shown alike in the range of subjects
treated by him and in the various media he em-
ploys for the expression of his artistic sense. In
the treatment of landscape he has achieved no
mean distinction, while as a portraitist his reputa-
tion has been firmly established by a succession of
works remarkable for their sterling qualities. He
uses oils with complete facility, but though at the
outset of his career he had no intention of adopting
any other medium than paint, he has in later years
done much excellent work in pastels. As an
original etcher he occupies a high position at the
present day, and many notable plates bear testi-

mony to his able draughtsmanship and command
of technique in this department.

Professor Michalek was born at Temesvar in Hun-
gary, in 1859, but his ancestors were Germans and
from the time he entered the Imperial Academy of
Fine Arts, thirty-two years ago, until the present day,
his career has been almost entirely associated with
Vienna. His portraits and landscapes figure from
time to time in the Kiinstlerhaus, but it is only rarely
that the opportunity is given of viewing a compre-
hensive collection of them. To obtain a better idea
of the wide range of his talents, one must visit him
at his little “Schloss” which is separated only by a
gate from the famous gardens of Schonbrunn. There,
if the visitor is fortunate enough to be allowed to
look through the artist’s numerous portfolios, he
will be amply rewarded for the time spent.

Professor Michalek has a peculiar faculty for
choosing characteristic men and women as the sub-
jects for his portraits, and seems to be irresistibly
drawn towards those whose beauty is expressed
chiefly in their intellect. His etched portrait of
Frau Ebner von Eschenbach,, the famous writer who
on her 70th birthday received an honorary degree
from the University of Vienna, is one of his most
notable achievements in this direction; and another
striking example is his pastel portrait of Hofrat

“A CARPATHIAN VILLAGE5’ (AQUATINT) BY PROFESSOR LUDWIG MICHALEK

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