FERDINAND SCHMUTZER (1870–1928)
Portfolio, Portraits, 1899-1927

Start price: €4.000

Estimate: € 7.000-9.000

15 Gelatin silver prints, printed in 2001 from the original glass negatives, double-weight semi-matte paper

Sizes between 18 x 13 cm and 24 x 18 cm (larger prints asterisked *)

Edition no. 35/45, portfolio includes a Certificate of authenticity, each print with the photographer’s estate stamp and a handwritten number on the reverse

1. Physicist Albert Einstein, January 1921 2. Psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud, 1926 3. German emperor Wilhelm II., 1912 4. Emperor of Austria & King of Hungary, Karl I., 1917 5. Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, 1914 6. Poet and author Arthur Schnitzler, 1912 7. Composer and conductor Richard Strauss, 1922 * 8. Cellist Pablo Casals, 1914 * 9. Composer and violinist Fritz Kreisler, c. 1915 * 10. Author Felix Salten, c. 1915 * 11. Viennese painter Rudolf von Alt, 1899 * 12. Chamber singer Leo Slezak, 1927 * 13. Sculptor Ferdinand Schmutzer (the artist’s father) * 14. Patron of the arts Karl Wittgenstein, 1908 * 15. Self-portrait, c. 1918 *

Ferdinand Schmutzer hatte an der Wiener Akademie der bildenden Künste Bildhauerei und Malerei studiert, wandte sich aber bald der Druckgrafik zu und wurde seit der Jahrhundertwende damit bekannt. Als Vorlage für seine Porträt-Radierungen erstellte er fotografische Aufnahmen. Die hervorragende Lichtführung seiner Studioporträts weist ihn als begabten Fotografen aus – dennoch geriet sein fotografisches Werk in Vergessenheit, bis es 2001 von WestLicht wiederentdeckt und ausgestellt wurde. Die hochwertige Leinenkassette wurde aus diesem Anlass aufgelegt und enthält Bildnisse von fünfzehn prominenten Persönlichkeiten aus der Ära.

Ferdinand Schmutzer had studied sculpture and painting at the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts, but soon turned to graphic arts and became known for his portrait etchings at the turn of the century. As models for these he took photographic images of his sitters. The excellent lighting of his studio portraits shows him to be a gifted photographer – yet his photographic work fell into oblivion until it was rediscovered and exhibited by WestLicht in 2001. The high-quality linen box was issued on this occasion and contains portraits of fifteen personalities from the era around 1900.