ink and pencil
Fritz Winkler was a German expressionist painter and illustrator.
He studied at the Dresden Academy of Art, created illustrations for a national newspaper and books, and was a member of the "Deutscher Kunstlerbundes" group of artists in Dresden. Winkler belonged to the second generation of German expressionists and was a member of the Association of German Artists.
Despite losing his eye in World War I, Winkler was drafted into World War II, and much of his work was destroyed in the 1945 bombing of Dresden. He returned there in 1946 and for the remaining 18 years, until his death in 1964, Winkler produced more than three hundred paintings and five thousand watercolors, which he bequeathed to the Dresden state art collections.
Nam June Paik (Korean: 백남준) was a Korean American artist. He worked with a variety of media and is considered to be the founder of video art. He is credited with the first use (1974) of the term "electronic super highway" to describe the future of telecommunications.
Rudolf von Alt was an Austrian watercolorist and landscape painter.
Rudolf studied at the Academy of Art in Vienna, painted architectural landscapes and portraits. In search of interesting views, he traveled extensively throughout Europe, worked for some time in Rome and Naples, visited the lakes of Lombardy, then Galicia, Bohemia, Bavaria. In 1863 Rudolf von Alt came to the Crimea to paint views of the Empress's estate, and in 1867 he traveled to Sicily.
Critics note his masterful command of watercolor, thanks to which the artist very realistically conveys the details of architecture and shades of light. Von Alta's later works reflect the trends of Impressionism.
Ulrich Rückriem is a German sculptor known for his large-scale stone sculptures that are often displayed in public spaces. He studied at the Werkkunstschule Krefeld and the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf.
Rückriem's early work was influenced by the Minimalist movement, and he became known for creating abstract, geometric sculptures from raw stone blocks. He often works with granite, basalt, and other types of hard stone, using traditional carving techniques to shape and refine his forms.
In the 1970s, Rückriem began creating large-scale public installations, including his "Stone Alignments" series, which consists of rows of standing stones that evoke ancient megaliths and other prehistoric monuments. His work often engages with the natural environment, creating a dialogue between the man-made and the organic.
Rückriem has exhibited his work in museums and galleries around the world, including the Tate Gallery in London, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York, and the Kunstmuseum Bonn in Germany. He has also received numerous awards and honors for his contributions to the field of sculpture, including the International Sculpture Prize in 1987 and the Praemium Imperiale in 2010.
Nicolas de Largillière was a French painter of the Rococo period. Along with Hyacinthe Rigaud, he is considered the first portraitist of his time in France.
John Wesley was an American painter, known for idiosyncratic figurative works of eros and humor, rendered in a precise, hard-edged, deadpan style. Wesley's art largely remained true to artistic premises that he established in the 1960s: a comic-strip style of flat shapes, delicate black outline, a limited matte palette of saturated colors, and elegant, pared-down compositions. His characteristic subjects included cavorting nymphs, nudes, infants and animals, pastoral and historical scenes, and 1950s comic strip characters in humorously blasphemous, ambiguous scenarios of forbidden desire, rage or despair.
John Wesley was an American painter, known for idiosyncratic figurative works of eros and humor, rendered in a precise, hard-edged, deadpan style. Wesley's art largely remained true to artistic premises that he established in the 1960s: a comic-strip style of flat shapes, delicate black outline, a limited matte palette of saturated colors, and elegant, pared-down compositions. His characteristic subjects included cavorting nymphs, nudes, infants and animals, pastoral and historical scenes, and 1950s comic strip characters in humorously blasphemous, ambiguous scenarios of forbidden desire, rage or despair.
Carl Spitzweg was a German romanticist painter, especially of genre subjects. He is considered to be one of the most important artists of the Biedermeier era.
Karl Schmidt-Rottluff, a prominent figure in the German Expressionist movement, was not just an artist but a pioneer who significantly influenced the early 20th-century art scene. Born in Rottluff, Germany, in 1884, he later added his hometown's name to his surname, showcasing a deep connection to his roots. Schmidt-Rottluff was a founding member of the artist group Die Brücke, which played a critical role in the development of Expressionism in Germany. His works, characterized by bold colors and stark contrasts, were a departure from traditional artistic expressions and embraced a more emotional and subjective interpretation of reality.
Schmidt-Rottluff's contributions to art were not limited to painting; he was also a master printmaker, with a significant body of work comprising woodcuts, lithographs, and etchings. His artistic endeavors were marked by a fascination with the natural world, social issues, and an exploration of human emotion, themes that remained consistent throughout his career. Despite facing persecution during the Nazi regime, with many of his works labeled as "degenerate," Schmidt-Rottluff's resolve did not waver. In 1937, 608 of his paintings were seized, and by 1941, he was forbidden to paint. Yet, his legacy continued to grow post-World War II, and he was later honored with professorship at the University of Arts in Berlin-Charlottenburg in 1947, where he influenced a new generation of artists.
The value and impact of Schmidt-Rottluff's work are reflected in the presence of his pieces in prestigious collections worldwide, including the Museum of Modern Art, Neue Galerie, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and many others. His works are celebrated for their emotional depth, innovative use of color, and ability to convey complex themes through simplified forms. Notably, some of his significant pieces have been subjects of restitution efforts, highlighting the historical importance and continued relevance of his work in the context of art history and cultural heritage.
For collectors and experts in art and antiques, Schmidt-Rottluff's oeuvre offers a profound insight into the evolution of Expressionism and the broader cultural and political narratives of the early 20th century. His works not only serve as a testament to his individual genius but also as a reflection of the tumultuous era that shaped them.
To stay informed about new discoveries, sales, and auction events related to Karl Schmidt-Rottluff's work, signing up for updates is highly recommended. This ensures that enthusiasts and collectors alike are always in the loop regarding opportunities to engage with and acquire pieces by this influential artist, ensuring his legacy continues to inspire and resonate with future generations.
Paul McCarthy is a contemporary artist who lives and works in Los Angeles, California.
McCarthy's works include performance, sculpture, installation, film and "painting as action". His points of reference are rooted, on the one hand, in things typically American, such as Disneyland, B-Movies, Soap Operas and Comics – he is a critical analyst of the mass media and consumer-driven American society and its hypocrisy, double standards and repression. On the other hand, it is European avant-garde art that has had the most influence on his artistic form language. Such influences include the Lost Art Movement, Joseph Beuys, Sigmund Freud, Samuel Beckett, and the Viennese Actionism.
John Wesley was an American painter, known for idiosyncratic figurative works of eros and humor, rendered in a precise, hard-edged, deadpan style. Wesley's art largely remained true to artistic premises that he established in the 1960s: a comic-strip style of flat shapes, delicate black outline, a limited matte palette of saturated colors, and elegant, pared-down compositions. His characteristic subjects included cavorting nymphs, nudes, infants and animals, pastoral and historical scenes, and 1950s comic strip characters in humorously blasphemous, ambiguous scenarios of forbidden desire, rage or despair.
John Wesley was an American painter, known for idiosyncratic figurative works of eros and humor, rendered in a precise, hard-edged, deadpan style. Wesley's art largely remained true to artistic premises that he established in the 1960s: a comic-strip style of flat shapes, delicate black outline, a limited matte palette of saturated colors, and elegant, pared-down compositions. His characteristic subjects included cavorting nymphs, nudes, infants and animals, pastoral and historical scenes, and 1950s comic strip characters in humorously blasphemous, ambiguous scenarios of forbidden desire, rage or despair.