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White Car, Vienna
By Susan Aurinko
Located in Chicago, IL
White Car, Vienna Archival inkjet print on Hahnemühle fine art matte paper. 16 x 20 inches Edition size: 11 Exact dimensions of paper size may vary. Please inquire for additional...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Chicago

Materials

Inkjet

Wildlife II, Vienna
By Susan Aurinko
Located in Chicago, IL
Wildlife II, Vienna Archival inkjet print on Hahnemühle fine art matte paper. 16 x 20 inches Edition size: 11 Exact dimensions of paper size may vary. Please inquire for addition...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Chicago

Materials

Inkjet

Tiny Clouds, Vienna
By Susan Aurinko
Located in Chicago, IL
Tiny Clouds, Vienna Archival inkjet print on Hahnemühle fine art matte paper. 16 x 20 inches Edition size: 11 Exact dimensions of paper size may vary. Please inquire for addition...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Chicago

Materials

Inkjet

Twins, Rome
By Susan Aurinko
Located in Chicago, IL
Twins, Rome Archival inkjet print on Hahnemühle fine art matte paper. 16 x 20 inches Edition size: 11 Exact dimensions of paper size may vary. Please inquire for additional sizes...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Chicago

Materials

Inkjet

Camouflage, Vienna
By Susan Aurinko
Located in Chicago, IL
Camouflage, Vienna Archival inkjet print on Hahnemühle fine art matte paper. 16 x 20 inches Edition size: 11 Exact dimensions of paper size may vary. Please inquire for additiona...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Chicago

Materials

Inkjet

The Dollar Sign and Money
By David Gamble
Located in Chicago, IL
The Dollar Sign and Money Archival and acrylic paint on paper 30 x 40 inches Unique painting About the artist: David Gamble is a multidisciplinary artist from London, now based...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Chicago

Materials

Mixed Media

Sam, Reclining Male Nude with Hounds Tooth Background and Floral Foreground
By Brian Driscoll
Located in Chicago, IL
"Sam" by Brian Driscoll is presented in three layers. The male nude reclines in front of a background of hounds tooth wall paper and then Sam is overlayed with a veil of floral designs. It is as if are being allowed to draw back the curtain into this very private space. This three-dimensional quality of Driscoll's drawing is highly complex in its execution. Each layer is a different geometrical pattern - the heavy lines that take up the wallpaper, the tiny hash marks that evolve into Sam and finally, the absence of color to create the floral curtain. Brian Driscoll Sam, 2019 ink on paper 17h x 14w in 43.18h x 35.56w cm BWD013 Through drawing, Driscoll creates Midwestern mythologies exploring aspects of masculinity in working-class rural America...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Chicago

Materials

Ink, Archival Paper

Steam - Nasturtium Flower Encased in a Paper Lantern on Wayward Seas, Watercolor
By Christina Haglid
Located in Chicago, IL
"Steam", by Christina Haglid, is a small, exquisite watercolor. A single nasturtium is suspended inside a paper lantern, floating on turbulent water, the steam escaping from the lantern propelling it forward. The fragility of the environment has always played an important role in Haglid's work. As a child growing up on the East Coast, the ever changing seaside landscapes intrigued her. This fragile balance between nature and her subject matter is as delicate as a paper lantern floating on the ocean. Christina Haglid Steam, 2019 watercolor and gouache on paper 8h x 9w in 20.32h x 22.86w cm CMH034 Artist's Statement Tiny Sanctuaries There has always been an intersection between the process of writing and the act of painting in my work. It has somehow been my guide. In the last four years, during the making of this work, that connection intensified as I started writing short stories and flash fiction while taking online classes. I find the process of writing and painting so different in almost every way, but there is something freeing and generative in writing which helps my painting process. Or perhaps it's a reminder of what painting is for me - something intuitive that needs to be trusted. And what they do have in common is a desire to encapsulate and distill a single moment, a story, about the complexity of our emotions and experiences. At the heart of my work is the recurring depiction of perseverance, strength of will, and a subtle optimism. Symbolically through the objects, precarious situations depict a moment of possible difficulty, often involving the influence of nature. A paper crane left in the snow. A boat nearly filled to the brim, but not submerged and able to drain its own contents carefully. A slide alone at night which will return to its purpose during the day. My intention is to not show the failure because I imagine all these objects make it through to better times. Allegories of survival. Someone comes by and finds the paper crane, the rowboat owners return and see their boat undisturbed, and the slide during the day brings joy. EDUCATION 1993 M.F.A., Cranbrook Academy of Art 1991 B.F.A., Maryland Institute, College of Art 1990 Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture EXHIBITIONS 2019 "Tiny Sanctuaries", Gallery Victor Armendariz, Chicago, IL 2015 "Gallery Group" Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2014 "Gallery Group" Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2013 "Gallery Group" Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2012 "Gallery Group" Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2011 “Gallery Group” Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL "Meticulous Details: Conservators' Paintings" The Architrouve, Chicago, IL 2010 “Art Chicago” Merchandise Mart, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2009 “Botanica” Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2006 “Botanicus” Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2006 “Arts Botanica” Loyola University Museum of Art, Chicago, IL 2005 “Blumen: Group Show” Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2004-05 “Think Small” Illinois State Museum, IL [traveled] “Christina Haglid: Microworlds” Greenville County Museum of Art, Greenville, SC [solo exhibition] 2004 “Art Chicago” Navy Pier, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2003 “Small to Mighty” Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2002 “Art of the 20th Century” NY Armory, Ann Nathan Gallery, NY, NY “Art Chicago” Navy Pier, Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2001 “Group Fusion” Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 2000 "Small & Mighty II" Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL "Christina Haglid, New Work and Amy Lowry-Poole, Bugs and Buds" Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 1999 “Small & Mighty” Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL “Views II” Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 1998 “Maleri” Galleri Carl Michael Bellman, Stockholm, Sweden “1987 – 1997, A Skowhegan Decade, Alumni Exhibition and Benefit Auction” David Beitzel Gallery, NY, NY “On and Off the Wall, Gallery Group” Ann Nathan Gallery, Chicago, IL 1997 “15 x 15” (Alumni Exhibition), Thesis Gallery, Maryland Institute, College of Art, Baltimore, MD 1996 “Small Works” Suburban Fine Arts Center, Highland Park, IL., Special Recognition Award 1994 “Unknown Chicago” Gallery 312, Chicago, IL “15 x 15” (Alumni Exhibition), Meyerhoff Gallery, Maryland Institute, College of Art, Baltimore, MD 1993 “Graduate Summer Exhibition” Cranbrook Academy of Art Museum, Bloomfield Hills, MI “Graduate Thesis Exhibition” Cranbrook Academy of Art Museum, Bloomfield Hills, MI “Michigan Fine Arts Competition” Birmingham Bloomfield Art Association, Birmingham, MI 1992 “Word of Mouth” Forum Gallery, Cranbrook Academy of Art Museum, Bloomfield Hills, MI 1991 “Drawing: A Covert and Private Affair” West Gallery, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ “Senior Exhibition” Meyerhoff Gallery, Maryland Institute, College of Art, Baltimore, MD 1990 “Fiber Exhibition” Fox Gallery...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Chicago

Materials

Watercolor, Gouache, Archival Paper

Set of Chinese Wooden Printing Blocks, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
Chinese innovations in ink, block printing, and movable type fueled global advancements in printing technology, expanding the range of influence of the written word. These printing i...
Category

Early 20th Century Chinese Qing Chicago

Materials

Wood

The face of light, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
By Nathalie Gribinski
Located in Yardley, PA
Acrylic and oil-markers on canvas. One of my most recent works belonging to the category "the Strings of Life". My work is always inspired by my emotions. Ready to hang. :: Painti...
Category

2010s Abstract Chicago

Materials

Acrylic

Woman in yellow, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
By Nathalie Gribinski
Located in Yardley, PA
This large painting is part of the "Strings of Life" series. It is ready to hang. :: Painting :: Abstract :: This piece comes with an official certificate of authenticity signed by t...
Category

2010s Abstract Chicago

Materials

Acrylic

Orange reveries, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
By Nathalie Gribinski
Located in Yardley, PA
Abstract painting of blue flowers in an orange golden field. :: Painting :: Abstract :: This piece comes with an official certificate of auth...
Category

2010s Abstract Chicago

Materials

Acrylic

Clarity, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
By Nathalie Gribinski
Located in Yardley, PA
Abstract art created with my hands and acrylics on primed canvas. It can be hung as is like a tapestry, stretched or framed. :: Painting :: Abstract :: This piece comes with an offic...
Category

Early 2000s Abstract Chicago

Materials

Acrylic

The celebration, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
By Nathalie Gribinski
Located in Yardley, PA
This artwork has been created with oil-markers and acrylics on canvas. It depicts an imaginary scenery. It is exhibited at a collector house. It is av...
Category

2010s Abstract Chicago

Materials

Acrylic

Pansies, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
By Nathalie Gribinski
Located in Yardley, PA
Deep emotions with the smell of the South of France. My first time to paint pansies. In French, those flowers mean "thought" :: Painting :: Abstract :: This piece comes with an offic...
Category

2010s Abstract Chicago

Materials

Acrylic

French Maison Jansen Style Ebonized Mahogany Coffee Table Built to Order
Located in Chicago, IL
French Maison Jansen or Directoire style coffee table that in our home, might more accurately be described as a cocktail table. This particular Maison Jansen or Directoire style coff...
Category

2010s American Directoire Chicago

Materials

Mahogany

Rick Owens Brazier Cast Bronze Low Brazier Side Table Nitrate Patina
By Rick Owens
Located in Chicago, IL
Handmade low three-legged cast bronze brazier or side table from the Rick Owens home collection. Low Brazier three-legged table in solid bronze with ni...
Category

2010s French Modern Chicago

Materials

Bronze

Cast Resin 'Bilbouquet' Side Table, Coal Stone Finish by Zachary A. Design
By Zachary A. Bitner
Located in Chicago, IL
A symmetrical sculptural balance of elegance and function. Dimensions: Diameter 18 in. (45.7 cm), height 18 in. (45.7 cm). Weight 20 lbs. (9 kg) Finish color options: white stone natural stone aged stone key stone...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Minimalist Chicago

Materials

Resin, Fiberglass

Gold Studded Candle Sconce by Brian Stanziale
By Brian Stanziale
Located in Chicago, IL
In an exclusive collaboration with pagoda red, each hand-studded piece by artist the bms. was transformed from a provincial 19th century artifact into a one of a kind work of art. Embellishing with silver and gold thumbtacks, the bms. Adds a contemporary twist to our storied objects, animating each surface with bold and provocative designs. Carved from the cylindrical form of a single bamboo segment, this 19th century headrest was originally used to preserve intricate hairstyles during sleep. The bms. Enhanced the headrest's unusual form, re-imagining the piece on its side as a decorative candle sconce. The golden interior casts a warm glow over its surroundings, lit by the twinkling light of a tealight or votive candle set...
Category

Late 19th Century Chinese Antique Chicago

Materials

Metal

Modern Contemporary "Lap" Side Table in Walnut by Casey Lurie USA
By Casey Lurie
Located in Chicago, IL
Minimalist and sophisticated, lap table is a versatile piece that can easily function as a side table, end table, or nightstand with an angled shelf for book...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Chicago

Materials

Wood, Oak, Walnut, Hardwood

Contemporary Room Divider Shelving "30/30 S" in Oak by Casey Lurie Studio
By Casey Lurie
Located in Chicago, IL
Part room divider, part bookcase, part screen, the "30/30" series is an extremely versatile shelving system. Named for the degrees of the alternately angled dividers which give the p...
Category

2010s North American Modern Chicago

Materials

Wood

Portrait Of Elena, Deep in Thought, Painting, Oil on Canvas
By Leon Sarantos
Located in Yardley, PA
This artwork portrays a nude young woman who is in a quiet, contemplative mood. The unifying theme in my figurative art is to express the feeling or mood evoked by the subject of my...
Category

2010s Contemporary Chicago

Materials

Oil

"Primrose Rest" by Brian Stanziale
By Brian Stanziale
Located in Chicago, IL
In an exclusive collaboration, each hand-studded piece by artist the bms was transformed from a Provincial 19th century artifact into a one-of-a-kind work of art. Embellishing with silver and gold thumbtacks, the bms. Adds a contemporary twist to our storied objects, animating each surface with bold and provocative designs. This primrose rest was originally a Qing dynasty low stool, used by a shoemaker while he assembled pairs of shoes. Marked by the artist's golden touch...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Chicago

Materials

Metal

"Family Reunion 2" by Travis Somerville
By Travis Somerville
Located in Chicago, IL
Deeply familiar yet nonetheless confrontational, Travis Somerville’s “Family Renuion” series disrupts nostalgia and memory, insisting on the idea that images and material objects are...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Chicago

Materials

Paint, Paper

18 Karat Yellow Gold Neck Chain with Tear Drop Shape Cognac Diamond Elements
Located in Chicago, IL
18K yellow gold neck chain with eight double sided tear drop shape elements with round cognac diamonds weighing 1.40cts total Last retail $...
Category

2010s American Contemporary Chicago

Materials

Brown Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold

"Dynamic Car" by Patrick Fitzgerald
By Patrick Fitzgerald
Located in Chicago, IL
Chicago-based artist Patrick Fitzgerald uses his works as a means of resurrecting the idyllic worlds he once found in the Industrial surroundings of his youth. Raised in Grand Rapids, MI, he looks to the raw beauty and inherent potential of his manufacturing hometown as an endless source of creative inspiration. Working from found materials, Fitzgerald constructs miniature versions of soap box cars...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Industrial Chicago

Materials

Wood, Paper

Modern Industry Serif Series Coffee Table Grain Matched Hardwood
By Modern Industry
Located in Downers Grove, IL
A single slab of highly figured walnut lends a celestial effect to the top of this exquisite serif coffee table. Grain matched steel inlay, with removable steel plate revealing hidde...
Category

2010s American Organic Modern Chicago

Materials

Metal, Steel

"Family Reunion 1" by Travis Somerville
By Travis Somerville
Located in Chicago, IL
Deeply familiar yet nonetheless confrontational, Travis Somerville’s “Family Renuion” series disrupts nostalgia and memory, insisting on the idea that images and material objects are...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Chicago

Materials

Paper

Jarretiere 18 Karat Black Gold Flexible Geometric Design Diamond Drop Earrings
By Jarretiere
Located in Chicago, IL
Jarretiere 18K black gold earrings, flexible geometric design with full cut round diamonds weighing .98cts Retail $8580
Category

Early 2000s American Contemporary Chicago

Materials

Diamond, 18k Gold

Cast Resin 'Tom' Low Table, White Stone Finish by Zachary A. Design
By Zachary A. Bitner
Located in Chicago, IL
Elegantly playful and a bright complement. Dimensions: Diameter 24 in. (61 cm), height 14 in. (36 cm), weight 20 lbs. (9 kg) Finish color options: White stone...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Minimalist Chicago

Materials

Resin, Fiberglass

"Cut-Rate Liquor Car" by Patrick Fitzgerald
By Patrick Fitzgerald
Located in Chicago, IL
Chicago-based artist Patrick Fitzgerald uses his works as a means of resurrecting the idyllic worlds he once found in the Industrial surroundings of his youth. Raised in Grand Rapids...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Chicago

Materials

Wood, Paper

Cast Resin 'Pebble' Low Table, White Stone Finish by Zachary A. Design
By Zachary A. Bitner
Located in Chicago, IL
Like a stone from a stream, smoothed for millennia by the passing currents. The fluid potential of natural power emanates from its presence. Dimensions: Diameter 48 in. (122 cm). He...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Minimalist Chicago

Materials

Resin, Fiberglass

144 Side Table in Waxed Aluminum Plate by Jonathan Nesci
By Jonathan Nesci
Located in Columbus, IN
Minimalist side table in .25" thick in aluminum plate. The underside has recessed, cut rubber sheet with an inset signed label. A simple 12-inch cube evenly divided by a vertical pla...
Category

2010s American Minimalist Chicago

Materials

Aluminum

Rick Owens Swan Neck Cast Bronze Vase
By Rick Owens
Located in Chicago, IL
The now iconic bronze swan neck vase from the Rick Owens bronze relic collection. This is shown in the black patina. Originally designed in 2012. Each br...
Category

2010s French Modern Chicago

Materials

Bronze

Spring Mischief, Painting, Oil on Canvas
By Nathalie Gribinski
Located in Yardley, PA
Painting created with oil markers on canvas. Part of the series "Original Tourlicoulis" :: Painting :: Abstract :: This piece comes with an official certificate of authenticity signe...
Category

Early 2000s Abstract Chicago

Materials

Oil

Bird Woman, Painting, Oil on Canvas
By Nathalie Gribinski
Located in Yardley, PA
Painting created 1n 2001. Part of the series "Original Tourlicoulis". Created with oil markers on canvas. :: Painting :: Abstract :: This piece comes with an official certificate of ...
Category

Early 2000s Abstract Chicago

Materials

Oil

Wall Sconce with a Long Taper
By Christopher Gentner
Located in Chicago, IL
I wanted to create the appearance of stretching, as if pushing through a sheet metal.
Category

2010s American Modern Chicago

Materials

Brass

Cactus - Small Scale Original Painting on Panel of a Saguaro Cactus
By Christina Haglid
Located in Chicago, IL
"Cactus", by Christina Haglid, is a painstakingly detailed watercolor of a Saguaro Cactus on panel. Each needle from the cactus is evident in this small scale painting. The background gives the idea that is a scene from a solarium with its blurred window panes. The piece is floated within a white wood frame and measures 4.75h x 3.75w inches. Christina Haglid Cactus watercolor and gouache on panel 4h x 3w in 10.16h x 7.62w cm Tiny Sanctuaries There has always been an intersection between the process of writing and the act of painting in my work. It has somehow been my guide. In the last four years, during the making of this work, that connection intensified as I started writing short stories and flash fiction while taking online classes. I find the process of writing and painting so different in almost every way, but there is something freeing and generative in writing which helps my painting process. Or perhaps it's a reminder of what painting is for me - something intuitive that needs to be trusted. And what they do have in common is a desire to encapsulate and distill a single moment, a story, about the complexity of our emotions and experiences. At the heart of my work is the recurring depiction of perseverance, strength of will, and a subtle optimism. Symbolically through the objects, precarious situations depict a moment of possible difficulty, often involving the influence of nature. A paper crane left in the snow. A boat nearly filled to the brim, but not submerged and able to drain its own contents carefully. A slide alone at night...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Chicago

Materials

Panel, Watercolor, Gouache

Cast Resin 'Stone' Dining Chair, Keystone Finish by Zachary A. Design
By Zachary A. Bitner
Located in Chicago, IL
Classic longevity. Surprising comfort. Dimensions: Width 17 in. (43.2 cm), depth 20 in. (50.8 cm), height 33 in. (83.8 cm). Weight 35 lbs. (15.8 kg) No assembly required. Finish co...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Minimalist Chicago

Materials

Resin, Fiberglass

Old Plank Stainless Steel, Bronze and Marble Kitchen Island, Available Any Size
Located in Chicago, IL
Handcrafted in Chicago, from stainless steel, solid bronze and wire-brushed, rift-cut white oak shelves, with a Carrara marble-top (butcher block ava...
Category

2010s North American Industrial Chicago

Materials

Marble, Stainless Steel, Bronze

Cast Resin 'Aileen' Side Table, White Stone Finish by Zachary A. Design
By Zachary A. Bitner
Located in Chicago, IL
A classic form with an inviting, functional twist. Minimalist, inline depressions invite movement of the piece and reveal its secretive weightlessness. Dimensions: Diameter 17 in. (...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Minimalist Chicago

Materials

Resin, Fiberglass

fferrone Set of Two Contemporary Czech Minimal Bessho Tumbler Glasses Handmade
By Felicia Ferrone
Located in Chicago, IL
This contemporary Czech glass set includes two Bessho Tumblers Just as the small town is known for the healing properties of its hot springs, so are ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Czech Modern Chicago

Materials

Glass

RUBY, Paris 2014
By Susan Aurinko
Located in Chicago, IL
Archival inkjet print on Hahnemühle fine art matte paper Edition size: 11 Image size: 15 x 18.5 inches Paper size: 17 x 22 inches Please inquire for additional sizes. Susan Auri...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Chicago

Materials

Archival Pigment

"Akshobhyavajra, " Acrylic on Canvas, 2011
Located in Chicago, IL
An expression of devotion, this mesmerizing painting is the result of months of dedicated work. Thousands of careful brushstrokes surround the central image of the Tibetan Buddha Aks...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Chicago

Materials

Acrylic, Canvas

fferrone Set of 2 Czech Contemporary May Medium Glasses Handmade
By Felicia Ferrone
Located in Chicago, IL
May medium glasses, set of two A pair of Czech contemporary handcrafted glasses perfect for everyday use. The May collection is inspired by the lightness of the early summer mo...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Czech Modern Chicago

Materials

Glass

Pair of Czech Contemporary May Champagne Coupe Glasses Handmade, in Stock
By Felicia Ferrone
Located in Chicago, IL
May champagne coupe glasses, set of two A pair of Czech contemporary glass handcrafted is the perfect modern champagne glass. The May Collec...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Czech Modern Chicago

Materials

Glass

fferrone Set of 2 Czech Contemporary May Champagne Flute Glasses Handmade
By Felicia Ferrone
Located in Chicago, IL
May champagne flute glasses, set of two A pair of Czech contemporary glass handcrafted is the perfect modern champagne glass. The May collection i...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Czech Modern Chicago

Materials

Glass

Waiting, Painting, Oil on Canvas
By Leon Sarantos
Located in Yardley, PA
This painting portrays a nude woman, sitting in solitude as she waits for her lover. Her cream colored skin glows in contrast to the rich reds and blues of her boudoir. The angular...
Category

2010s Contemporary Chicago

Materials

Oil

Female Mask, Watercolor and Graphite on Paper in Shades of Navy, Black & Brown
By Eduardo Alvarado
Located in Chicago, IL
This loose watercolor of a woman veiled in a navy scarf conveys a sense of mystery. Her beautiful blue eyes are the color of water. She stares out at the viewer with something to tell us. But what?? This piece is matted in a heavy mat measuring 14h x 11w inches. This artwork is unframed. Contact gallery for framing request. Eduardo Alvarado Female Mask Watercolor and pencil on paper 8.50h x 5.75w in 21.59h x 14.61w cm EDA008 EDUARDO ALVARADO b. Spain, 1972 EDUCATION 1990-95 Licenciado en BB AA La Facultad de BB AA de la UPV, Bilbao La Facultad de BB AA de San Fernando, Madrid SOLO EXHIBITIONS 2018 Casa del Libro, Logroño 2016 Casa de Cultura. Miranda de Ebro 2015 Casa de Cultura. Miranda de Ebro Galería Espiral, Noja 2014 Galerie d´Art Anne Broitman. Biarritz, France 2013 Galería de Arte-Centro Cultural (junto a Vesna Pavlovic). Novi Sad, Serbia Centro Cultural La Vidriera, Maliaño The Gallery of Contemporary Fine Arts (junto a Vesna Pavlovic). Nis, Serbia 2012 Gallery Seasons (junto a Vesna Pavlovic). Sofia, Bulgaria Gallery SKC (junto a Vesna Palovic). Belgrado, Serbia Manos para qué os quiero. Logroño Galería Espiral. Feria Internacional de Arte Contemporáneo, Santander Sala Asociación Artistas de Guipuzcoa (junto a Juan Carlos Cardesín), San Sebastian 2011 Galería Espiral, San Miguel de Meruelo Galería Jovan Popovic (junto a Vesna Pavlovic). Opovo, Serbia Galería Veciti Trkac (junto a Vesna Pavlovic). Nis, Serbia Exit Art Gallery (Fundación Adolfo Dominguez...
Category

2010s Contemporary Chicago

Materials

Paper, Watercolor, Graphite

The Propaganda of the Heart
By Benjamin Duke
Located in Chicago, IL
Ben Duke b. 1977 Louisville, KY Education 2006 M.F.A., Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, MD 2002 B.F.A., University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 2001 Summer School of Music and Art, Yale University, New Haven, CT Selected Exhibitions 2017 Distortion, Gallery Victor Armendariz, Chicago, IL Coming Attractions: Inaugural Exhibition, Gallery Victor Armendariz, Chicago, IL 2015 The Suburbs Eyes: Picturing the Sprawl, (invitational), Ernestine M Raclin Gallery, Indiana University, South Bend, IN 2014 21 and Counting, The Painting Center, New York City, NY A River Without Banks, Paul Collins...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Chicago

Materials

Oil, Panel

"Head of an Italian Woman" Copper Plate Heliogravure
By Ferdinand Hodler & R. Piper & Co.
Located in Chicago, IL
2018 marks the centenary anniversary of Ferdinand Hodler’s death. In that 100 years time, the art world’s esteem of this important artist has proved fickle. It has shifted from extol...
Category

1910s Symbolist Chicago

Materials

Paper

"The Holy Hour with Four Figures" Copper Plate Heliogravure
By Ferdinand Hodler & R. Piper & Co.
Located in Chicago, IL
2018 marks the centenary anniversary of Ferdinand Hodler’s death. In that 100 years time, the art world’s esteem of this important artist has proved fickle. It has shifted from extol...
Category

1910s Symbolist Chicago

Materials

Paper

"Portrait of Prof. Dr. Hermann Sahli" Copper Plate Heliogravure
By Ferdinand Hodler & R. Piper & Co.
Located in Chicago, IL
2018 marks the centenary anniversary of Ferdinand Hodler’s death. In that 100 years time, the art world’s esteem of this important artist has proved fickle. It has shifted from extolling his artistic merits during his lifetime to showing something of a feigned disdain- more reflective of the world political order than a true change of heart for Hodler’s work. After years of Hodler being all but a footnote in the annals of art history and generally ignored, finally, the pendulum has righted itself once again. Recent retrospective exhibitions in Europe and the United States have indicated not only a joyful rediscovery of Hodler’s art but a firm conviction that his work and world view hold particular relevance today. DAS WERK FERDINAND HODLERS is not only a collection of printed work reflecting the best of all of his painted work created up to 1914 just before the outbreak of World War I, the portfolio itself is an encapsulation of Hodler’s ethos, Parallelisme. Hodler developed his philosophy of Parallelisme as a unifying approach to art which strips away detail in search of harmony. By means of abstraction, symmetry and repetition, Hodler sought ways to depict Nature’s essence and her fundamental, universal order. He believed these universal laws governing the natural, observable world extend to the spiritual realm. Symbolist in nature with Romantic undertones, his works are equally portraits of these universal concepts and feelings governing all life as they are a visual portrait in the formal sense. Whether his subject is a solitary tree, a moment in battle, mortal fear, despair, the awe inspired by a vast mountain range, a tender moment or even the collective conviction in a belief, Hodler unveils this guiding principle of Parallelisme. Several aspects of Hodler’s portfolio reinforce his tenets of Parallelisme. The Table of Contents clearly preferences a harmonious design over detail. The two columns, consisting of twenty lines each, list the images by order of appearance using their German titles. The abbreviated titles are somewhat cryptic in that they obscure the identities of the sitters. Like the image Hodler presents, they are distillations of the sitter without any extraneous details. This shortening was also done in an effort to maintain a harmonious symmetry of the Table of Contents, themselves, and keep titles to a one-line limit. The twenty-fourth title: “Bildnis des Schweizerischen Gesandten C.” was so long, even with abbreviation, that it required two lines; so, for the sake of maintaining symmetry, the fortieth title: “Bauernmadchen” was omitted from the list. This explains why the images are not numbered. Hodler’s reasoning is not purely esoteric. Symmetry and pattern reach beyond mere formal design principles. Finding sameness and imposing it over disorder goes to the root of Hodler’s identity and his art. A Swiss native, Hodler was bi-lingual and spoke German and French. Each printed image, even number forty, have titles in both of Hodler’s languages. Certainly, there was a market for Hodler’s work among francophones and this inclusion may have been a polite gesture to that end; however, this is the only place in the portfolio which includes French. With German titles at the lower left of each image, Hodler’s name at bottom center and corresponding French titles at the lower right of each image, there is a harmony and symmetry woven into all aspects of the portfolio. This holds true for the page design, as it applies to each printed image and as it describes the Swiss artist himself. Seen in this light, Hodler’s portfolio of printed work is the epitome of Hodler’s Parallelisme. DAS WERK FERDINAND HODLERS is also one of the most significant documents to best tell the story of how Hodler, from Switzerland, became caught between political cross-hairs and how the changing tides of nations directly impacted the artist during his lifetime as well as the accessibility of his art for generations to come. The Munich-based publisher of the portfolio, R. Piper & Co., Verlag, plays a crucial role in this story. Publishing on a wide range of subjects from philosophy and world religion to music, literature and the visual arts; the publisher’s breadth of inquiry within any one genre was equal in scope. Their marketing strategy to publish multiple works on Hodler offers great insight as to what a hot commodity Hodler was at that time. R.Piper & Co.’s Almanach, which they published in 1914 in commemoration of their first ten years in business, clearly illustrates the rapid succession- strategically calculated for achieving the deepest and broadest impact - in which they released three works on Hodler to hit the market by the close of 1914. DAS WERK FERDINAND HODLERS was their premier publication. It preceded C.A. Loosli’s Die Zeichnungen Ferdinand Hodlers, a print portfolio after 50 drawings by Hodler which was released in Autumn of 1914 at the mid-level price-point of 75-150 Marks; and a third less expensive collection of prints after original works by Hodler, which had not been included in either of the first two portfolios, was released at the end of that year entitled Ferdinand Hodler by Dr. Ewald Bender. The title and timing of DAS WERK FERDINAND HODLERS' debut leaves little doubt as to the connection it has with another avant-garde portfolio of art prints, Das Werk Gustav Klimts, released in 5 installments from 1908 -1914 by Galerie Miethke in Vienna. Hodler, himself, was involved in Klimt’s ground-breaking project. As the owner of Klimt’s 1901 painting, “Judith with the Head of Holifernes” which appears as the ninth collotype print in the second installment of Das Werk Gustav Klimts, Hodler was obliged to grant access of the painting to the art printers in Vienna for them to create the collotype sometime before 1908. Hodler had been previously invited in 1904 to take part in what would be the last exhibition of the Vienna Secession before Klimt and others associated with Galerie Miethke broke away. In an interview that same year, Hodler indicated that he respected and was impressed by Klimt. Hodler’s esteem for Klimt went beyond the art itself; he emulated Klimt’s method aimed at increasing his market reach and appeal to a wider audience by creating a print portfolio of his painted work. By 1914, Hodler and his publisher had the benefit of hindsight to learn from Klimt’s Das Werk publication. Responding to the sluggish sales of Klimt’s expensive endeavor, Hodler’s publisher devised the same diversified 1-2-3 strategy for selling Hodler’s Das Werk portfolio as they did with regards to all three works on Hodler they published that year. For their premium tier of DAS WERKS FERDINAND HODLERS, R. Piper & Co. issued an exclusive Museum quality edition of 15 examples on which Hodler signed each page. At a cost of 600 Marks, this was generally on par with Klimt’s asking price of 600 Kronen for his Das Werk portfolio. A middle-tiered Preferred edition of 30, costing somewhat less and with Hodler’s signature only on the Title Page, was also available. The General edition, targeting the largest audience with its much more affordable price of 150 Marks, is distinguishable by its smaller size. Rather than use the subscription format Miethke had chosen for Klimt’s portfolios which proved to have had its challenges, R. Piper & Co. employed a different strategy. In addition to instantly gratifying the buyer with all 40 of the prints comprising DAS WERK FERDINAND HODLERS and the choice among three price points, they advertised in German journals a fourth possibility of ordering single prints from them directly. These printed images are easily discernible from the three complete folio editions. The paper size of the single purchased images is of the larger format like the Museum and Preferred editions, measuring 65 h x 50 w cm; however, the paper itself is the same copper print paper used in the General edition and then mounted on poster board. The publishing house positioned itself to be a direct retailer of Hodler’s art. They astutely recognized the potential for profitability and the importance, therefore, of having proprietary control over his graphic works. R. Piper & Co. owned the exclusive printing rights to Hodler’s best work found in their three publications dating from 1914. That same year, a competing publication out of Weimar entitled Ferdinand Hodler: Ein Deutungsversuch von Hans Muhlestein appeared. Its author, a young scholar, expressed his frustration with the limited availability of printable work by Hodler. In his Author’s Note on page 19, dated Easter, 1914, Muhlestein confirms that the publisher of Hodler’s three works from that same year owned the exclusive reproductive rights to Hodler’s printed original work. He goes further to explain that even after offering to pay to use certain of those images in his book, the publisher refused. Clearly, a lot of jockeying for position in what was perceived as a hot market was occurring in 1914. Instead, their timing couldn’t have been more ill-fated, and what began with such high hopes suddenly found a much different market amid a hostile climate. The onset of WWI directly impacted sales. Many, including Ferdinand Hodler, publicly protested the September invasion by Germany of France in which the Reims Cathedral, re-built in the 13th century, was shelled, destroying priceless stained glass and statuary and burning off the iron roof and badly damaging its wooden interior. Thomas Gaehtgens, Director of the Getty Research Institute describes how the bombing of Reims Cathedral triggered blindingly powerful and deeply-felt ultra-nationalistic responses: “The event profoundly shocked French intellectuals, who for the most part had an intense admiration for German literature, music and art. By relying on press accounts and abstracting from the visual propagandistic content, they were unable to interpret the siege of Reims without turning away from German culture in disgust. Similarly, the German intelligentsia and bourgeoisie were also shocked to find themselves described as vandals and barbarians. Ninety-three writers, scientists, university professors, and artists signed a protest, directed against the French insults, that defended the actions of the German army.” In similar fashion, a flurry of open letters published in German newspapers and journals as well as telegrams and postcards sent directly to Hodler following his outcry in support of Reims reflected the collectively critical reaction to Hodler’s position. Loosli documents that among the list of telegrams Hodler received was one from none other than his publisher in Germany, R.Piper & Co. Allegiances were questioned. The market for Hodler in Germany immediately softened. Matters worsened for the publisher beyond the German backlash to Hodler and his loss of appeal in the home market; with the war in full swing until 1918, there was little chance a German publisher would have much interest coming from outside of Germany and Austria. Following the war and Hodler’s death in 1918, the economy in Germany continued to spiral out and just 5 years later, hyper-inflation had rendered its currency worthless vis-a-vis its value in the pre-war years. Like the economy, Hodler’s reputation was slow to find currency in these difficult times. Even many French art fans had turned sour on Hodler as they considered his long-standing relationship in German and Austrian art circles. Thus, the portfolio’s rarity in Hodler’s lifetime and, consequently, the availability of these printed images from DAS WERK FERDINAND HODLERS since his death has been scarce. In many ways, Hodler and his portfolios were casualties of war. Thwarted from their intended purpose of reaching a wide audience and show-casing Parallelisme, Hodler’s unique approach to art, this important, undated work has been both elusive and shrouded in mystery. Perhaps DAS WERK FERDINAND HODLERS was left undated as a means of affirming the timelessness of Hodler’s art. Digging back into the past, Hodler’s contemporaries, like R. Piper, C.A. Loosli and Hans Muhlestein, indeed provide the keys to unequivocally clarify what has largely been mired in obscurity. Just after Hodler’s death, the May, 1918 issue of the Burlington Review ran a small column which opined hope for better access to R.Piper & Co.’s DAS WERK FERDINAND HODLERS; 100 years later, it is finally possible. Hodler’s voice rings out through these printed works. Once more, his modern approach to depicting portraits, landscapes and grand scale scenes of Swiss history speak to us of what is universal. Engaging with any one of these images is the chance to connect to Hodler’s vision and his world view- weltanschauung in German, vision du monde in French- however one expresses these concepts through language, its message embedded in his work is the same: “We differ from one another, but we are like each other even more. What unifies us is greater and more powerful than what divides us.” Today, Hodler’s art couldn’t be more timely. FERDINAND HODLER (SWISS, 1853-1918) explored Parallelisme through figurative poses evocative of music, dance and ritual. His images of sex, night, desertion and death as well as his many landscapes exploring the universal longing for harmony with Nature are unique and important works embodying a Symbolist paradigm. Truly a Modern Master, Hodler’s influence can be felt in the work of Gustav Klimt and Kolomon Moser and subsequent Expressionist artists such as Egon Schiele. He was born into an impoverished family in Bern, Switzerland in 1853. His entire family succumbed to tuberculosis, and he was orphaned by the age of 13, the only surviving child among his 13 siblings. In the absence of family, the influence and guidance which his art instructors provided Hodler was foundational and profound. Hodler began formal studies in 1872 at the Geneva School of Design. Under Barthelemy Menn, Hodler was drawn to the ordered beauty of Euclidian geometry and Durer’s fundamentals of human proportion that proved to be guiding principles informing his art throughout his life. By the 1880s, Hodler began to enjoy some recognition for his work which put him on a new path towards stability. Remaining in Geneva, he became assistant to the well-known muralist, Edouard Castres. Following his first solo show in 1885, Hodler’s work took on a Symbolist quality. He frequently associated with a group of Swiss Symbolist...
Category

1910s Symbolist Chicago

Materials

Paper

"Departure of Jena Volunteers in 1813" Copper Plate Heliogravure
By Ferdinand Hodler & R. Piper & Co.
Located in Chicago, IL
2018 marks the centenary anniversary of Ferdinand Hodler’s death. In that 100 years time, the art world’s esteem of this important artist has proved fickle. It has shifted from extolling his artistic merits during his lifetime to showing something of a feigned disdain- more reflective of the world political order than a true change of heart for Hodler’s work. After years of Hodler being all but a footnote in the annals of art history and generally ignored, finally, the pendulum has righted itself once again. Recent retrospective exhibitions in Europe and the United States have indicated not only a joyful rediscovery of Hodler’s art but a firm conviction that his work and world view hold particular relevance today. DAS WERK FERDINAND HODLERS is not only a collection of printed work reflecting the best of all of his painted work created up to 1914 just before the outbreak of World War I, the portfolio itself is an encapsulation of Hodler’s ethos, Parallelisme. Hodler developed his philosophy of Parallelisme as a unifying approach to art which strips away detail in search of harmony. By means of abstraction, symmetry and repetition, Hodler sought ways to depict Nature’s essence and her fundamental, universal order. He believed these universal laws governing the natural, observable world extend to the spiritual realm. Symbolist in nature with Romantic undertones, his works are equally portraits of these universal concepts and feelings governing all life as they are a visual portrait in the formal sense. Whether his subject is a solitary tree, a moment in battle, mortal fear, despair, the awe inspired by a vast mountain range, a tender moment or even the collective conviction in a belief, Hodler unveils this guiding principle of Parallelisme. Several aspects of Hodler’s portfolio reinforce his tenets of Parallelisme. The Table of Contents clearly preferences a harmonious design over detail. The two columns, consisting of twenty lines each, list the images by order of appearance using their German titles. The abbreviated titles are somewhat cryptic in that they obscure the identities of the sitters. Like the image Hodler presents, they are distillations of the sitter without any extraneous details. This shortening was also done in an effort to maintain a harmonious symmetry of the Table of Contents, themselves, and keep titles to a one-line limit. The twenty-fourth title: “Bildnis des Schweizerischen Gesandten C.” was so long, even with abbreviation, that it required two lines; so, for the sake of maintaining symmetry, the fortieth title: “Bauernmadchen” was omitted from the list. This explains why the images are not numbered. Hodler’s reasoning is not purely esoteric. Symmetry and pattern reach beyond mere formal design principles. Finding sameness and imposing it over disorder goes to the root of Hodler’s identity and his art. A Swiss native, Hodler was bi-lingual and spoke German and French. Each printed image, even number forty, have titles in both of Hodler’s languages. Certainly, there was a market for Hodler’s work among francophones and this inclusion may have been a polite gesture to that end; however, this is the only place in the portfolio which includes French. With German titles at the lower left of each image, Hodler’s name at bottom center and corresponding French titles at the lower right of each image, there is a harmony and symmetry woven into all aspects of the portfolio. This holds true for the page design, as it applies to each printed image and as it describes the Swiss artist himself. Seen in this light, Hodler’s portfolio of printed work is the epitome of Hodler’s Parallelisme. DAS WERK FERDINAND HODLERS is also one of the most significant documents to best tell the story of how Hodler, from Switzerland, became caught between political cross-hairs and how the changing tides of nations directly impacted the artist during his lifetime as well as the accessibility of his art for generations to come. The Munich-based publisher of the portfolio, R. Piper & Co., Verlag, plays a crucial role in this story. Publishing on a wide range of subjects from philosophy and world religion to music, literature and the visual arts; the publisher’s breadth of inquiry within any one genre was equal in scope. Their marketing strategy to publish multiple works on Hodler offers great insight as to what a hot commodity Hodler was at that time. R.Piper & Co.’s Almanach, which they published in 1914 in commemoration of their first ten years in business, clearly illustrates the rapid succession- strategically calculated for achieving the deepest and broadest impact - in which they released three works on Hodler to hit the market by the close of 1914. DAS WERK FERDINAND HODLERS was their premier publication. It preceded C.A. Loosli’s Die Zeichnungen Ferdinand Hodlers, a print portfolio after 50 drawings by Hodler which was released in Autumn of 1914 at the mid-level price-point of 75-150 Marks; and a third less expensive collection of prints after original works by Hodler, which had not been included in either of the first two portfolios, was released at the end of that year entitled Ferdinand Hodler by Dr. Ewald Bender. The title and timing of DAS WERK FERDINAND HODLERS' debut leaves little doubt as to the connection it has with another avant-garde portfolio of art prints, Das Werk Gustav Klimts, released in 5 installments from 1908 -1914 by Galerie Miethke in Vienna. Hodler, himself, was involved in Klimt’s ground-breaking project. As the owner of Klimt’s 1901 painting, “Judith with the Head of Holifernes” which appears as the ninth collotype print in the second installment of Das Werk Gustav Klimts, Hodler was obliged to grant access of the painting to the art printers in Vienna for them to create the collotype sometime before 1908. Hodler had been previously invited in 1904 to take part in what would be the last exhibition of the Vienna Secession before Klimt and others associated with Galerie Miethke broke away. In an interview that same year, Hodler indicated that he respected and was impressed by Klimt. Hodler’s esteem for Klimt went beyond the art itself; he emulated Klimt’s method aimed at increasing his market reach and appeal to a wider audience by creating a print portfolio of his painted work. By 1914, Hodler and his publisher had the benefit of hindsight to learn from Klimt’s Das Werk publication. Responding to the sluggish sales of Klimt’s expensive endeavor, Hodler’s publisher devised the same diversified 1-2-3 strategy for selling Hodler’s Das Werk portfolio as they did with regards to all three works on Hodler they published that year. For their premium tier of DAS WERKS FERDINAND HODLERS, R. Piper & Co. issued an exclusive Museum quality edition of 15 examples on which Hodler signed each page. At a cost of 600 Marks, this was generally on par with Klimt’s asking price of 600 Kronen for his Das Werk portfolio. A middle-tiered Preferred edition of 30, costing somewhat less and with Hodler’s signature only on the Title Page, was also available. The General edition, targeting the largest audience with its much more affordable price of 150 Marks, is distinguishable by its smaller size. Rather than use the subscription format Miethke had chosen for Klimt’s portfolios which proved to have had its challenges, R. Piper & Co. employed a different strategy. In addition to instantly gratifying the buyer with all 40 of the prints comprising DAS WERK FERDINAND HODLERS and the choice among three price points, they advertised in German journals a fourth possibility of ordering single prints from them directly. These printed images are easily discernible from the three complete folio editions. The paper size of the single purchased images is of the larger format like the Museum and Preferred editions, measuring 65 h x 50 w cm; however, the paper itself is the same copper print paper used in the General edition and then mounted on poster board. The publishing house positioned itself to be a direct retailer of Hodler’s art. They astutely recognized the potential for profitability and the importance, therefore, of having proprietary control over his graphic works. R. Piper & Co. owned the exclusive printing rights to Hodler’s best work found in their three publications dating from 1914. That same year, a competing publication out of Weimar entitled Ferdinand Hodler: Ein Deutungsversuch von Hans...
Category

1910s Symbolist Chicago

Materials

Paper

"What the Flowers Say" Copper Plate Heliogravure
By Ferdinand Hodler & R. Piper & Co.
Located in Chicago, IL
2018 marks the centenary anniversary of Ferdinand Hodler’s death. In that 100 years time, the art world’s esteem of this important artist has proved fickle. It has shifted from extolling his artistic merits during his lifetime to showing something of a feigned disdain- more reflective of the world political order than a true change of heart for Hodler’s work. After years of Hodler being all but a footnote in the annals of art history and generally ignored, finally, the pendulum has righted itself once again. Recent retrospective exhibitions in Europe and the United States have indicated not only a joyful rediscovery of Hodler’s art but a firm conviction that his work and world view hold particular relevance today. DAS WERK FERDINAND HODLERS is not only a collection of printed work reflecting the best of all of his painted work created up to 1914 just before the outbreak of World War I, the portfolio itself is an encapsulation of Hodler’s ethos, Parallelisme. Hodler developed his philosophy of Parallelisme as a unifying approach to art which strips away detail in search of harmony. By means of abstraction, symmetry and repetition, Hodler sought ways to depict Nature’s essence and her fundamental, universal order. He believed these universal laws governing the natural, observable world extend to the spiritual realm. Symbolist in nature with Romantic undertones, his works are equally portraits of these universal concepts and feelings governing all life as they are a visual portrait in the formal sense. Whether his subject is a solitary tree, a moment in battle, mortal fear, despair, the awe inspired by a vast mountain range, a tender moment or even the collective conviction in a belief, Hodler unveils this guiding principle of Parallelisme. Several aspects of Hodler’s portfolio reinforce his tenets of Parallelisme. The Table of Contents clearly preferences a harmonious design over detail. The two columns, consisting of twenty lines each, list the images by order of appearance using their German titles. The abbreviated titles are somewhat cryptic in that they obscure the identities of the sitters. Like the image Hodler presents, they are distillations of the sitter without any extraneous details. This shortening was also done in an effort to maintain a harmonious symmetry of the Table of Contents, themselves, and keep titles to a one-line limit. The twenty-fourth title: “Bildnis des Schweizerischen Gesandten C.” was so long, even with abbreviation, that it required two lines; so, for the sake of maintaining symmetry, the fortieth title: “Bauernmadchen” was omitted from the list. This explains why the images are not numbered. Hodler’s reasoning is not purely esoteric. Symmetry and pattern reach beyond mere formal design principles. Finding sameness and imposing it over disorder goes to the root of Hodler’s identity and his art. A Swiss native, Hodler was bi-lingual and spoke German and French. Each printed image, even number forty, have titles in both of Hodler’s languages. Certainly, there was a market for Hodler’s work among francophones and this inclusion may have been a polite gesture to that end; however, this is the only place in the portfolio which includes French. With German titles at the lower left of each image, Hodler’s name at bottom center and corresponding French titles at the lower right of each image, there is a harmony and symmetry woven into all aspects of the portfolio. This holds true for the page design, as it applies to each printed image and as it describes the Swiss artist himself. Seen in this light, Hodler’s portfolio of printed work is the epitome of Hodler’s Parallelisme. DAS WERK FERDINAND HODLERS is also one of the most significant documents to best tell the story of how Hodler, from Switzerland, became caught between political cross-hairs and how the changing tides of nations directly impacted the artist during his lifetime as well as the accessibility of his art for generations to come. The Munich-based publisher of the portfolio, R. Piper & Co., Verlag, plays a crucial role in this story. Publishing on a wide range of subjects from philosophy and world religion to music, literature and the visual arts; the publisher’s breadth of inquiry within any one genre was equal in scope. Their marketing strategy to publish multiple works on Hodler offers great insight as to what a hot commodity Hodler was at that time. R.Piper & Co.’s Almanach, which they published in 1914 in commemoration of their first ten years in business, clearly illustrates the rapid succession- strategically calculated for achieving the deepest and broadest impact - in which they released three works on Hodler to hit the market by the close of 1914. DAS WERK FERDINAND HODLERS was their premier publication. It preceded C.A. Loosli’s Die Zeichnungen Ferdinand Hodlers, a print portfolio after 50 drawings by Hodler which was released in Autumn of 1914 at the mid-level price-point of 75-150 Marks; and a third less expensive collection of prints after original works by Hodler, which had not been included in either of the first two portfolios, was released at the end of that year entitled Ferdinand Hodler by Dr. Ewald Bender. The title and timing of DAS WERK FERDINAND HODLERS' debut leaves little doubt as to the connection it has with another avant-garde portfolio of art prints, Das Werk Gustav Klimts, released in 5 installments from 1908 -1914 by Galerie Miethke in Vienna. Hodler, himself, was involved in Klimt’s ground-breaking project. As the owner of Klimt’s 1901 painting, “Judith with the Head of Holifernes” which appears as the ninth collotype print in the second installment of Das Werk Gustav Klimts, Hodler was obliged to grant access of the painting to the art printers in Vienna for them to create the collotype sometime before 1908. Hodler had been previously invited in 1904 to take part in what would be the last exhibition of the Vienna Secession before Klimt and others associated with Galerie Miethke broke away. In an interview that same year, Hodler indicated that he respected and was impressed by Klimt. Hodler’s esteem for Klimt went beyond the art itself; he emulated Klimt’s method aimed at increasing his market reach and appeal to a wider audience by creating a print portfolio of his painted work. By 1914, Hodler and his publisher had the benefit of hindsight to learn from Klimt’s Das Werk publication. Responding to the sluggish sales of Klimt’s expensive endeavor, Hodler’s publisher devised the same diversified 1-2-3 strategy for selling Hodler’s Das Werk portfolio as they did with regards to all three works on Hodler they published that year. For their premium tier of DAS WERKS FERDINAND HODLERS, R. Piper & Co. issued an exclusive Museum quality edition of 15 examples on which Hodler signed each page. At a cost of 600 Marks, this was generally on par with Klimt’s asking price of 600 Kronen for his Das Werk portfolio. A middle-tiered Preferred edition of 30, costing somewhat less and with Hodler’s signature only on the Title Page, was also available. The General edition, targeting the largest audience with its much more affordable price of 150 Marks, is distinguishable by its smaller size. Rather than use the subscription format Miethke had chosen for Klimt’s portfolios which proved to have had its challenges, R. Piper & Co. employed a different strategy. In addition to instantly gratifying the buyer with all 40 of the prints comprising DAS WERK FERDINAND HODLERS and the choice among three price points, they advertised in German journals a fourth possibility of ordering single prints from them directly. These printed images are easily discernible from the three complete folio editions. The paper size of the single purchased images is of the larger format like the Museum and Preferred editions, measuring 65 h x 50 w cm; however, the paper itself is the same copper print paper used in the General edition and then mounted on poster board. The publishing house positioned itself to be a direct retailer of Hodler’s art. They astutely recognized the potential for profitability and the importance, therefore, of having proprietary control over his graphic works. R. Piper & Co. owned the exclusive printing rights to Hodler’s best work found in their three publications dating from 1914. That same year, a competing publication out of Weimar entitled Ferdinand Hodler: Ein Deutungsversuch von Hans Muhlestein appeared. Its author, a young scholar, expressed his frustration with the limited availability of printable work by Hodler. In his Author’s Note on page 19, dated Easter, 1914, Muhlestein confirms that the publisher of Hodler’s three works from that same year owned the exclusive reproductive rights to Hodler’s printed original work. He goes further to explain that even after offering to pay to use certain of those images in his book, the publisher refused. Clearly, a lot of jockeying for position in what was perceived as a hot market was occurring in 1914. Instead, their timing couldn’t have been more ill-fated, and what began with such high hopes suddenly found a much different market amid a hostile climate. The onset of WWI directly impacted sales. Many, including Ferdinand Hodler, publicly protested the September invasion by Germany of France in which the Reims Cathedral, re-built in the 13th century, was shelled, destroying priceless stained glass and statuary and burning off the iron roof and badly damaging its wooden interior. Thomas Gaehtgens, Director of the Getty Research Institute describes how the bombing of Reims Cathedral triggered blindingly powerful and deeply-felt ultra-nationalistic responses: “The event profoundly shocked French intellectuals, who for the most part had an intense admiration for German literature, music and art. By relying on press accounts and abstracting from the visual propagandistic content, they were unable to interpret the siege of Reims without turning away from German culture in disgust. Similarly, the German intelligentsia and bourgeoisie were also shocked to find themselves described as vandals and barbarians. Ninety-three writers, scientists, university professors, and artists signed a protest, directed against the French insults, that defended the actions of the German army.” In similar fashion, a flurry of open letters published in German newspapers and journals as well as telegrams and postcards sent directly to Hodler following his outcry in support of Reims reflected the collectively critical reaction to Hodler’s position. Loosli documents that among the list of telegrams Hodler received was one from none other than his publisher in Germany, R.Piper & Co. Allegiances were questioned. The market for Hodler in Germany immediately softened. Matters worsened for the publisher beyond the German backlash to Hodler and his loss of appeal in the home market; with the war in full swing until 1918, there was little chance a German publisher would have much interest coming from outside of Germany and Austria. Following the war and Hodler’s death in 1918, the economy in Germany continued to spiral out and just 5 years later, hyper-inflation had rendered its currency worthless vis-a-vis its value in the pre-war years. Like the economy, Hodler’s reputation was slow to find currency in these difficult times. Even many French art fans had turned sour on Hodler as they considered his long-standing relationship in German and Austrian art circles. Thus, the portfolio’s rarity in Hodler’s lifetime and, consequently, the availability of these printed images from DAS WERK FERDINAND HODLERS since his death has been scarce. In many ways, Hodler and his portfolios were casualties of war. Thwarted from their intended purpose of reaching a wide audience and show-casing Parallelisme, Hodler’s unique approach to art, this important, undated work has been both elusive and shrouded in mystery. Perhaps DAS WERK FERDINAND HODLERS was left undated as a means of affirming the timelessness of Hodler’s art. Digging back into the past, Hodler’s contemporaries, like R. Piper, C.A. Loosli and Hans Muhlestein, indeed provide the keys to unequivocally clarify what has largely been mired in obscurity. Just after Hodler’s death, the May, 1918 issue of the Burlington Review ran a small column which opined hope for better access to R.Piper & Co.’s DAS WERK FERDINAND HODLERS; 100 years later, it is finally possible. Hodler’s voice rings out through these printed works. Once more, his modern approach to depicting portraits, landscapes and grand scale scenes of Swiss history speak to us of what is universal. Engaging with any one of these images is the chance to connect to Hodler’s vision and his world view- weltanschauung in German, vision du monde in French- however one expresses these concepts through language, its message embedded in his work is the same: “We differ from one another, but we are like each other even more. What unifies us is greater and more powerful than what divides us.” Today, Hodler’s art couldn’t be more timely. FERDINAND HODLER (SWISS, 1853-1918) explored Parallelisme through figurative poses evocative of music, dance and ritual. His images of sex, night, desertion and death as well as his many landscapes exploring the universal longing for harmony with Nature are unique and important works embodying a Symbolist paradigm. Truly a Modern Master, Hodler’s influence can be felt in the work of Gustav Klimt and Kolomon Moser and subsequent Expressionist artists such as Egon Schiele. He was born into an impoverished family in Bern, Switzerland in 1853. His entire family succumbed to tuberculosis, and he was orphaned by the age of 13, the only surviving child among his 13 siblings. In the absence of family, the influence and guidance which his art instructors provided Hodler was foundational and profound. Hodler began formal studies in 1872 at the Geneva School of Design. Under Barthelemy Menn, Hodler was drawn to the ordered beauty of Euclidian geometry and Durer’s fundamentals of human proportion that proved to be guiding principles informing his art throughout his life. By the 1880s, Hodler began to enjoy some recognition for his work which put him on a new path towards stability. Remaining in Geneva, he became assistant to the well-known muralist, Edouard Castres. Following his first solo show in 1885, Hodler’s work took on a Symbolist quality. He frequently associated with a group of Swiss Symbolist...
Category

1910s Symbolist Chicago

Materials

Paper

"Woman at the River's Edge" Copper Plate Heliogravure
By Ferdinand Hodler & R. Piper & Co.
Located in Chicago, IL
2018 marks the centenary anniversary of Ferdinand Hodler’s death. In that 100 years time, the art world’s esteem of this important artist has proved fickle. It has shifted from extol...
Category

1910s Symbolist Chicago

Materials

Paper

"Xi Shitoupo Xiang, Pingyao, Shanxi Province" Photograph by Sze Tsung Leong
By Sze Tsung Leong
Located in Chicago, IL
This evocative photograph is part of a series created by artist Sze Tsung Nicolas Leong that explore China’s complicated relationship with its ancient past and anticipated future. In this 2004 photograph, 100-year-old buildings line a vacant street in the old walled city...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Chicago

Materials

Paper

fferrone Czech Clear Contemporary Fluted Glass Boyd Bedside Carafe with Glass
By Felicia Ferrone
Located in Chicago, IL
Bedside carafe pitcher with one small glass The clear Czech contemporary boyd glass bedside carafe pitcher with top and small glass is formally strong, yet with delicate details expressed through the lines and inner fluting. Modern yet retro, the bedside water bottle...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Czech Modern Chicago

Materials

Glass

fferrone Set of 2 Contemporary Minimal Champagne Flute Glasses Handmade Czech
By Felicia Ferrone
Located in Chicago, IL
This set includes two clear minimal revolution champagne flute glasses. Strikingly modern in form, the double ended contemporary Revolution collection is handcrafted in the Czech ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Czech Modern Chicago

Materials

Glass

Snowy Toes
By Michael Aw
Located in Chicago, IL
Archival Pigment Print Edition Size: 9 Available sizes: 40 x 27 inches 84 x 57 inches Sizing reflects image size. Please inquire regarding framing. ​​Michael Aw is an author, exp...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Chicago

Materials

Archival Pigment

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