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an old book with drawings of people and animals on itan old book with a picture of a man on a horsean old book with a drawing of a woman sitting on top of a tablean old book with a drawing of a man on a horsean old book with a drawing of a woman sitting on a stoolan old book with a drawing of a man and a woman on itan old book with a picture of a man holding a watering can
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233 - Fin de Siècle Geiger, including Willi Album of the Free Asso…
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Estimate €1,000 - €1,500
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Description
Fin de Siècle Geiger, including Willi Album of the Free Association of Munich Art Students. 1902–04. Album containing 15 monogrammed hand drawings by Willi Geiger (including 1 on the cover), 3 colour drawings by Hans Schlier, and drawings by Friedrich Georg Tobler, Ludwig Engler, Otto Obermeier and others. Signed and partly dated. Ink, gouache, watercolour, pencil and coloured pencil on handmade paper. Some with accompanying texts. 40.5 x 30 cm. Paper slightly wavy, slight signs of damp, scuffs and stains; cover with scratches; some pages loose. Overall in good condition. These album drawings are thus one of the earliest known examples of Geiger’s dual talent: as an existential graphic artist and a satirical draughtsman. The 15 original drawings by Willi Geiger depict demonic and grotesque figures, fantastical creatures, social caricatures and other caricatures. Geiger began his studies in 1901 at the Munich Academy, initially as a pupil of Peter Halm (etching techniques), before joining Franz von Stuck’s painting class as a master student. The album drawings from 1902 fall precisely within the most productive phase of his early career: At the same time, he produced the ink-drawing cycle ‘Seele’ (‘Soul’), which Geiger dedicated to Franz von Stuck ‘with the deepest reverence’. The album drawings are therefore contemporaries of works such as ‘Lebensabend’ (‘Twilight of Life’), ‘Der Narr’ (‘The Fool’) and ‘Ende aller Dinge’ (‘End of All Things’) from that very cycle. The F.V.M.K. album was created precisely during Geiger’s first year of academic study under Franz von Stuck. Such association networks served as a catalyst for emerging artists: they facilitated early visibility, mutual critique and collegial support. Franz von Stuck influenced Geiger through his characteristic method: contour as an ornamental device, sculptural figures without depth perspective, and a concentration of artistic means on the main subject. All three principles are clearly evident in these drawings. The album documents the social life of a Munich art students’ society (F.V.M.K.), whose annual festival in 1902 was celebrated as a ‘masked ball and practice pub’. The combination of Willi Geiger’s early original drawings (1902 – dating from his first year at art school) and the society’s poem by the eminent educational reformer and writer Paul Georg Münch (1877–1956) makes this album a unique primary document of Munich’s bohemian scene immediately prior to the breakthrough of Expressionism. Geiger’s characteristic monogram and his already fully developed ink line leave no doubt as to his authorship. Fin de siècle. - Album of the Free Association of Munich Art Students. 1902–04. Album containing 15 monogrammed hand drawings by Willi Geiger (one of which is on the cover), 3 colour drawings by Hans Schlier, as well as drawings by Friedrich Georg Tobler, Ludwig Engler, Otto Obermeier and others. Signed and partly dated. Ink, gouache, watercolour, graphite and coloured pencil on laid paper. Some with accompanying texts. Paper slightly undulating, minor traces of moisture, rubbing and staining; cover with scratches; pages partly loose. In good overall condition. These album drawings represent one of the earliest known examples of Geiger’s dual talent: that of the existential draughtsman and the satirical illustrator. The 15 original drawings by Willi Geiger depict demonically grotesque figures, fantastical creatures, social caricatures and other satirical subjects. Geiger began his studies in 1901 at the Munich Academy, initially as a pupil of Peter Halm (etching technique), before joining Franz von Stuck’s painting class as a master student. The album drawings of 1902 fall precisely within the most productive phase of his early work: running parallel to them was the ink drawing cycle ‘Seele’ (Soul), which Geiger dedicated to Franz von Stuck ‘with the deepest veneration’. The album drawings are thus contemporaries of works such as *Lebensabend* (Evening of Life), *Der Narr* (The Fool) and *Ende aller Dinge* (End of All Things) from that very cycle. The F.V.M.K. album was created during Geiger’s very first year of study under Franz von Stuck. Such networks of associations served as a catalyst for emerging artists: they facilitated early exposure, mutual critique and collegial encouragement. Von Stuck shaped Geiger through his characteristic method: the contour as an ornamental device, sculptural figures without spatial depth, and the concentration of pictorial means upon the principal subject. All three principles can be seen directly in these drawings. The album documents the convivial life of a Munich art students’ association (F.V.M.K.), whose annual celebration in 1902 took the form of a ‘Maskenball-Übkneipe’ (a costumed drinking feast with artistic performances). The combination of Willi Geiger’s early original drawings – dating from his very first academic year – and the association’s poem by educational reformer and writer Paul Georg Münch (1877–1956) makes this album a unique primary source on Munich’s bohemian scene in the period immediately preceding the emergence of Expressionism. Geiger’s characteristic monogram and his already fully developed ink line leave no doubt as to the authorship. *This lot is subject to standard tax. A 24.95% buyer’s premium is payable on the hammer price, and 7% (Books and Art) or 19% VAT (Manuscripts, Screenprints, Offset Prints, Photographs) is payable on the final invoice amount within the European Union. This work is subject to the standard margin scheme. A 24.95% buyer’s premium applies to the hammer price, and 7% (books and art) or 19% VAT (manuscripts, screen prints, offset prints and photographs) applies to the final invoice amount within the European Union.
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About the sale Modern and Contemporary Art
Auction location
Auction time 07/11/2026 at 11:00 AM
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