Masterfully genre painting by world-renown German painter Eduard von Grützner (1846 Grosskarlowitz/Schlesia - 1925 Munich). On the reverse of frame - label with the original German title of the painting : "Der Herr Förster".Genre paintings by the best Munich genre painter 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: Thieme/Becker "Lexicon of artists from antique to contemporary", Leipzig, 1999; "Künstlerlexikon" by H.Vollmer

Provenience: Auction house Lempertz, Cologne, Germany.

Inscription: signed lower left. original title in German on the reverse of painting.

Technique: oil on canvas. Luxuriousy original period gold-plated frame.

Measurements: unframed w 16 1/2" x h 20 1/2 " (42 x 52 cm), framed w 22 " x h 26 " (56 x 66 cm)

Condition: in very good condition