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drawing of a table with a bowl of food on it and a plate of food on the tabledrawing of a man in a suit talking to another man in a suitdrawing of a bedroom with a bed and a window with a view of the streetsketches of a drawing of a kitchen with a stove and a sinkdrawing of a group of men standing next to each other
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Estimate €1,000 - €1,500
Sale commission
Description
Art Nouveau Wilke, Rudolf A collection of 15 sketches from the estate of Rudolf Wilke. Circa 1905. Each in pencil, pen and ink, or watercolour and gouache; some with white highlights, some on both sides, on vellum or vellum board. Dimensions ranging from 23.5 x 15.5 cm to 32 x 48 cm. All sheets except one bear the estate stamp; some are signed and titled, whilst others bear descriptions and numbering in a third party’s hand. Rudolf Wilke, born in Braunschweig, was one of the leading draughtsmen of the Munich satirical magazines around 1900. After studying in Munich and Paris, he initially worked for *Jugend* and, from the turn of the century, became one of the key contributors to *Simplicissimus*, where, alongside Thomas Theodor Heine, Olaf Gulbransson, Bruno Paul and Eduard Thöny, he played a decisive role in shaping the magazine’s visual identity. His favourite subjects were the figures on the fringes of Wilhelmine society: vagrants, peasants, the petty bourgeoisie and eccentrics, whom he captured with keen powers of observation, dry humour and without condescension. Characteristic of his work is his concise, spontaneous and yet powerful line work, with which he distilled physiognomy and posture down to their essence. Wilke died as early as 1908, aged just 35. His small but distinctive body of work is still regarded today as one of the most outstanding examples of German caricature and illustration from the Art Nouveau period. - Included: Five publications on the work of Rudolf Wilke, published between 1954 and 1987.- Scattered with isolated foxing spots, slight rubbing and soiling; edges partly creased and with occasional crease marks; margins partly with minor discolouration. Overall in good condition. Expressive character studies and interiors with spontaneous, powerful line work. Art Nouveau. – Collection of 15 sketches from the estate of Rudolf Wilke. Pencil, pen and India ink, or watercolour and gouache, some highlighted with white, some on both sides, on laid paper or laid card. All sheets but one bear the estate stamp; some are signed and titled, whilst others are inscribed and numbered in another hand. – Born in Braunschweig, Rudolf Wilke was one of the defining draughtsmen of the Munich satirical magazines around 1900. After studying in Munich and Paris, he first worked for *Jugend* and, from the turn of the century, became one of the leading contributors to *Simplicissimus*, where he played a decisive role in shaping the magazine’s visual identity alongside Thomas Theodor Heine, Olaf Gulbransson, Bruno Paul and Eduard Thöny. His preferred subjects were the figures on the fringes of Wilhelmine society: vagrants, peasants, the petty bourgeoisie and eccentrics, whom he captured with keen powers of observation, dry humour and without condescension. His concise, spontaneous yet powerful line is characteristic, distilling physiognomy and posture to their essentials. Wilke died in 1908 at the age of just 35. His small but distinctive body of work is still regarded as one of the outstanding achievements of German caricature and illustration from the Jugendstil period. - Included: Five publications on the work of Rudolf Wilke, published between 1954 and 1987. - Isolated spot foxing, slight rubbing and soiling; edges partly bumped with occasional creases; margins partly with minor tears. Overall in good condition. Expressive character studies and interiors, executed with spontaneous, vigorous draughtsmanship.
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About the sale Valuable books, prints, historical photographs
Auction location
Auction time 10/24/2026 at 10:00 AM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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