Falstaff was a theme that became the artist's friend and companion in his later years. Grützner created the ideal classic Falstaff type. Treating the old glutton, who is always up to something naughty, on a permanent boozing spree and chasing tail, a liar and coward on top, with lenience. His hero might have been bald, but Grützner showed him with nice white locks of hair around the ears. Cheeky eyes blink from the reddish face. He added mustache and bodkin beard to the moon-face, making him almost look smart. Despite the big belly he depicted him well-proportioned. In one word, Falstaff looks quite pleasant and charming. One could not be angry with him. Grützner's oeuvre had been 'teeming' with Falstaff portraits since the [18]70s. In a torn doublet he burly stands in front of us or sits at a table, with or without a sword, dagger and cap. In many cases he is depicted close-up, from the side or in frontal view." (László Balogh, Eduard von Grützner. 1846-1925. Ein Münchner Genremaler der Gründerzeit, Mainburg 1991, pp. 104f.).

Genre paintings by the best Munich genre painter Eduard Grützner with their damp-merry motives of the drinking old gentlemen already enjoyed to Grützners lifetimes of large popularity. Its humorous scenes live on their strong naturalism. The character of the three old mans playing cards worked out by Grützner expression-strongly and detailfaithfully.First the artistic inclinations young Eduard von Grützner are recognized and promoted by the village priest. He made possible for Grützner to study in the High School in Neiße. Besides he help together with the the architect Hrschberg to send the artist to graphic training in Munich(since 1864 by the private school of Hermann Dyck). Hiltensperger and Strähuber are further teachers. Grützner enters finally 1865 the painting class of Anschütz at the Munich academy. Besides he gets himself advice and suggestion with Piloty. In 1867 the artist was taken to his class. Later Grützner leaves the academy and refers three years his own studio. With the painting " In the Klosterkeller" from his study time, the future topic of his work is already reminiscent. Grützner specializes in the following time with large success in the representation of monastery life. Usually the scenes in damp-merry atmosphere in cellars, kitchens and beer tubes play. The tenor of his genre paintings is humorous thereby. The artist is added to the rather traditional branch, to which also Franz of Defregger and Eduard Kurzbauer belongs within the Piloty school thematically and koloristic. Grützner became in 1886 professor at that Munich academy. Beside the monk pictures there is a Falstaff Zyklus and scenes from the theatre and hunter life. Beyond that Eduard von Grützner worked with illustrations, caricatures and designs on the graphic sector works, in which his high graphic qualities come to the expression. Grützner died 1925 in Munich. Already during his lifetimes the numerous paintings with drinkers(in german "Trinkbilder" ) were very popular and nearly all museums accommodate any work of this brilliant artist.

Literature: László Balogh, Eduard von Grützner. 1846-1925. Ein Münchner Genremaler der Gründerzeit, Mainburg 1991; artist’s lexicons: Thieme/Becker "Lexicon of artists from antique to contemporary", Leipzig, 1999; "Künstlerlexikon" by H.Vollmer, Lepzig. Provenience : Munich private estate. Inscription: signed and dated 1919 upper left; to the work attached copy of the work from the exhibition in 1917 and original bill of a art gallery from 1927. Technique: oil on canvas. Luxuriousy original period gold-plated frame. Measurements: unframed w 8 1/8" x h 10" (20,7 x 25,4 cm), framed w 17 1/8" x h 18 7/8" (43,4 x 48 cm). Condition: in very good condition.