ADOLF SCHREYER (GERMAN 1828–1899) ATTACK OF THE HUNGARIAN CAVALRY Signed and dated 'Adolph Schreyer 1854/fxt' bottom right, oil on canvas 43 5/8 x 63 1/2 in. (110.8 x 161.3cm) Provenance: Galerie Ravené, Berlin. The Minnesota Museum of Art, Saint Paul, Minnesota. Parke-Bernet, sale of April 17, 1974. Private Collection, Pennsylvania. EXHIBITED: (Possibly) "Deutschen allgemeinen und historischen Kunstausstellung in München," Munich Glaspalast, Munich, Germany, September 5, 1958, no. 408. Adolf Schreyer: An International Exhibition Presented by the Paine Art Center & Arboretum, Paine Art Center & Arboretum, Oshkosh, Wisconsin, June 8-July 30, 1972, p. 40 (illustrated). LITERATURE: Friedrich von Boetticher, Malerwerke des Neunzehnten Jahrhunderts, H. Schmidt and C. Gunther, Leipzig, 1901, p. 653, no. 4. NOTE: The recipient of numerous awards and various honors, Adolf Schreyer is now considered one of the most talented German artists of his generation. Before becoming the leader of the Düsseldorf School of painting, Schreyer worked for many aristocratic circles of Germany. He proved his impeccable talent throughout the several paintings of horses he produced during thEse early years, a genre he later excelled at. Inspired by Eugène Delacroix and the French Romantics in general, Schreyer is best known today for his elegant and romanesque portrayals of Arab horsemen racing through the deserts of North Africa or relaxing in the cities' souks. Perhaps, a lesser known part of Schreyer's career, is the time he spent on the battlefield. Indeed, the artist was invited to accompany the Austrian Prince's regiment as an assigned reporter, to cover the Crimean War, which opposed the Russian Empire to the Ottoman Empire from 1853-1856. The present composition does not seem to be directly linked to the Crimean War. Instead, it features an earlier episode from the Battle of Temesvár, which is linked to the Hungarian Revolution of 1848. This large scale canvas epitomizes Schreyer's impressive ability to render the whole energy of a complex battle. He shows a critical moment, when the Hungarian regiment is about to charge against the Austrian troops. The chaotic jumble of horses and men's bodies in the foreground of the composition highlights Schreyer's interest in suggesting the drama and the urgency of the scene. Depiste their brave efforts, the Hungarian soldiers lost the battle on August 9, 1849. We wish to thank Dr. Christoph Andreas for confirming the authenticity of this lot.
ADOLF SCHREYER (GERMAN 1828–1899) ATTACK OF THE HUNGARIAN CAVALRY Signed and dated 'Adolph Schreyer 1854/fxt' bottom right, oil on canvas 43 5/8 x 63 1/2 in. (110.8 x 161.3cm) Provenance: Galerie Ravené, Berlin. The Minnesota Museum of Art, Saint Paul, Minnesota. Parke-Bernet, sale of April 17, 1974. Private Collection, Pennsylvania. EXHIBITED: (Possibly) "Deutschen allgemeinen und historischen Kunstausstellung in München," Munich Glaspalast, Munich, Germany, September 5, 1958, no. 408. Adolf Schreyer: An International Exhibition Presented by the Paine Art Center & Arboretum, Paine Art Center & Arboretum, Oshkosh, Wisconsin, June 8-July 30, 1972, p. 40 (illustrated). LITERATURE: Friedrich von Boetticher, Malerwerke des Neunzehnten Jahrhunderts, H. Schmidt and C. Gunther, Leipzig, 1901, p. 653, no. 4. NOTE: The recipient of numerous awards and various honors, Adolf Schreyer is now considered one of the most talented German artists of his generation. Before becoming the leader of the Düsseldorf School of painting, Schreyer worked for many aristocratic circles of Germany. He proved his impeccable talent throughout the several paintings of horses he produced during thEse early years, a genre he later excelled at. Inspired by Eugène Delacroix and the French Romantics in general, Schreyer is best known today for his elegant and romanesque portrayals of Arab horsemen racing through the deserts of North Africa or relaxing in the cities' souks. Perhaps, a lesser known part of Schreyer's career, is the time he spent on the battlefield. Indeed, the artist was invited to accompany the Austrian Prince's regiment as an assigned reporter, to cover the Crimean War, which opposed the Russian Empire to the Ottoman Empire from 1853-1856. The present composition does not seem to be directly linked to the Crimean War. Instead, it features an earlier episode from the Battle of Temesvár, which is linked to the Hungarian Revolution of 1848. This large scale canvas epitomizes Schreyer's impressive ability to render the whole energy of a complex battle. He shows a critical moment, when the Hungarian regiment is about to charge against the Austrian troops. The chaotic jumble of horses and men's bodies in the foreground of the composition highlights Schreyer's interest in suggesting the drama and the urgency of the scene. Depiste their brave efforts, the Hungarian soldiers lost the battle on August 9, 1849. We wish to thank Dr. Christoph Andreas for confirming the authenticity of this lot.
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.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
