Edmond Xavier Kapp

Mid Century Modern British 'Listeners' by British German illustrator Kapp, 1959

1959

Eduard Xavier Kapp (British, 1890 – 1978) Hot soup Pen on paper Inscribed and dated ‘Hot Soup / 15-12-38’ (upper right) and signed ‘kapp’ (lower right) 7.1/2 x 12.3/8 in. (19 x 31.5 cm.) Edmond Kapp was born in Islington, London, on 5 November 1890, of American and German Jewish parentage. He gave himself the middle initial ‘X’ – sometimes said to stand for Xavier – to distinguish himself from his father Emil Kapp, who was a wine merchant. However, his parents called him ‘Eddie’ while his wife and friends knew him as ‘Peter’. During his early years, Kapp was continually ill and, while convalescing, entertained himself by drawing at home. As his health improved, he attended Dame Alice Owen’s School, Islington (1903-10), with periods at Berlin University (1909) and L’Institut Français pour les Etrangers, Paris (1909). He then read Languages at Christ’s College, Cambridge (1910-13), though spent most of his time writing and drawing. Kapp took a studio in London, and worked intensively until the outbreak of the First World War, contributing to the Daily News, the Onlooker and other periodicals. During the war, he served as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Sussex Regiment on the Western Front, and then in Intelligence, rising to the position of Staff Captain on Haig’s Staff. Finally, he founded and directed the Neutral Press Counter-propaganda Section. In 1919, Kapp returned to London and, after abortive periods at three art schools, worked alone. In that year, he made his name with an exhibition of caricatures, held at Furst’s Gallery, London, and accompanied by a catalogue introduced by Max Beerbohm. This soon led to contracts with three London periodicals and a book of caricatures, Personalities, published by Martin Secker. Through the 1920s and 30s, his drawings of musicians and other personalities appeared in a wide variety of periodicals, most notably Time & Tide; were collected in further volumes; and were exhibited at the Leicester Galleries. He considered himself to be a ‘character-portraitist’, producing images of psychological not satirical power, and disliking the term ‘caricature’. Between the wars, Kapp developed other aspects of his artistic talents, the desire to study and the search for subject matter often taking him abroad. For instance, work at the British Academy, Rome, under Antonio Sciortino...

Sven Berlin (British, 1911 - 1999) A Lovers embrace Pen and ink Signed 'SVEN 95' (lower right) 11 x 7.7/8 in. (20 x 28 cm.) Sven Berlin, born in Sydenham, London on 14th September 1...

(Léonard) Tsuguharu FOUJITA (Japanese, 1886-1968) Baby acrobat; and Baby walking both signed `Foujita’ (lower right), and both signed in Japanese red and black ink on paper 20 x 15 ...

Lynn Russell Chadwick, CBE RA (British, 1914-2003) Abstracted figure Ink pen and wash Signed and dated `Chadwick 66’ (lower right) 24 x 18.1/4 in. (61 x 46.3 cm.) Lynn Chadwick was ...

English School, circa 1900 In the ten acre pasture Ink and bodycolour on paper 4.5/8 x 13.5/8 in. (11.8 x 34.7 cm.)

Carl Hofer (German, 1875 – 1955) Die Liebenden (The lovers) Black ink and remnants of crayon on paper Signed with monogram ‘CH’ (lower right) 13.3/4 x 9.3/4 in. (35 x 24.8 cm.) P...

Decor in Frame is an original artwork realized by Louis Touchagues (1893 - 1974). Original ink drawing on paper glued on cardboard. Hand-signed. Good conditions, good cosmetic we...

Female Figure is an original pencil drawing on ivory paper made by Herta Haausmann (1892-1972). Black marker pen on paper. In good condition. This is an original drawing representi...

Hand signed, located, and dated on the lower right.

Portrait is an original drawing in mixed media -ink and watercolor- on paper realized in 1957 by an Anonymous artist of the XX century, Hand-signed on the lower right (unreadable), d...

On The Sofa is a China Ink Drawing realized by Reynold Arnould (Le Havre 1919 - Parigi 1980). Good condition on a white paper. No signature. Reynold Arnould was born in Le Havre...

The Couple is a watercolor Drawing realized by Mino Maccari (1924-1989) in 1940 ca. Hand-signed on the lower margin. Good condition. Mino Maccari (Siena, 1924-Rome, June 16, 1989...