Description
This is potentially one of the oldest paintings we have in stock. It is an oil on canvas of a mountain river with a small waterfall, the water flowing in some volume over the rocky river bed, a couple stand beside the river taking in the view. The painting is by 19th century German artist H Kolbe. It is framed in a simple gilded hardwood frame which measures 57 x 83 cm (22.5″ x 32.5″). The painting itself measures 78 x 51 cm (30.5″ x 20″).
H. Kolbe German 19th Century
The following is an extract from a newspaper article on this very painting….
Kolbe…over 200 years old and still looking good!
Heinrich Christophe Kolbe was a late 18th century into early 19th century listed German artist of some distinction. He is famed for not only his portraiture but also his mountain scenes. The painting this week is over 200 years old and still looks as fresh as the day it was painted. It is a typical work of Kolbe…A simple mountain scene with his signature tumultuous river, the water tumbling over rocky outcrops as it thunders its way down the mountainside. In this one a couple sit alongside the river on the right-hand bank, looking over the cascading water as it tumbles over the rocky river bed. This is a painting so typical of Kolbe’s work whose paintings can be found online in other galleries, indeed there are two available at other galleries at present. One for £6,450 and the other for £6,700….But NOT in my gallery. I price my paintings to sell and as such this is one of the best bargains in my shop! This is one of two paintings I have by the same artist and they are in matching frames.
Heinrich Christophe Kolbe was born in Dusseldorf in Germany in April of 1771. He was associated with The Dusseldorf School of Painting before moving to Paris for ten years to study in the studio and under the tutelage of the famous French artist Francois Gerard. He was also a part of the circle of Friedrich Schlagel, working with him on the review “Europa”. In 1811 he returned to Dusseldorf to concentrate on his own ambitions and became one of the foremost portrait painters of his generation, quickly becoming a favourite of the Rhineland high society, painting over 60 portraits of Elberfeld and Barmen alone! His most notable sitters were The Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, Goethe, Charles Augustus and Karoline Jagemann. However, Kolbe loved to paint his mountain scenes and this is one of those. From 1822 to 1832 he was a professor of The Dusseldorf Art Academy until he had a major dispute with the new director of the academy. He stepped down and concentrated on his own work again. Sadly he quickly became unwell and died in 1836 after a lengthy serious illness.
