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#6528 01/20/2010 11:21 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by WWII:
Woodblock, intaglio, line-art and so many other fine and difficult hand printing methods it literally boggles the mind.B~


As a graphic artist can you show or tell me of something that demonstrates this concept and breifly explain why.

I enjoy 'good art' but know virtually nothing about what makes a print complex or simple.

#6529 01/22/2010 01:27 AM
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I believe that it would be difficult to briefly explain all of the different styles of print making. It is way to easy to get off on a tangent of the nuances of various printing techniques and how they affect the image.


"Insanity is heriditary. You get it from your kids." Quote from Ronald Regans diary.
#6530 01/22/2010 08:45 PM
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Dean,

As SteveRay correctly pointed out, briefly explaining the different methods of reproducing artwork would be a daunting and lengthy task. While some of the basic principles remain basically the same, the methods can range far and wide. I'll touch briefly on a couple techniques, but then I'd like to pose my own question to the forum members who might read this thread.

The level of printing difficulty can range from reproducing a simple, spontaneous charcoal line sketch or pen and ink drawing printed in a single color, to a complex, multi-colored, hand-engraving or wood-cutting process that requires much forethought, exact planning and perfect registration of the colors. A photograph, oil painting or watercolor has to be converted into some type of mechanical process for reproduction, depending on the type of press and printing process that will be used to reproduce the image. The original artwork can be photgraphed or scanned by a computer, and then reassembled into a series of dot or other halftone patterns, set at specific angles for each of the colors. Normally the colors that are used are cyan, magenta, yellow and black - this is called the four-color process, and in most instances will yield pleasing, professional results. Each color in turn has to be perfectly registered, one on top of the other so that those pre-angled screen patterns will re-align into a faithful reproduction of the original. This is the standard for offset printing and is only one small facet of the various reproduction methods.

At times certain colors found in an original will change slightly and subtly when the printer prepares a work for his mechanical process. At times a complex work will call for the addition of more screen-angled plates, in order to print more colors to achieve success at matching the original's color nuances. This is where it starts to get tricky and at times extremely difficult. I've seen fine art collotype reproductions that took over twenty-five different colors to match an original, a very exacting and expensive process, but the end result is exquisite. This is an old, seldom used process simply due to it's complexity, difficulty and cost, like so many other time-consuming crafts and artforms that have fallen by the wayside.

I believe the bookplate that you posted was produced by some kind of engraving process, in which case the artist will grave and cut that image into some sort of metal master plate. The metal can range from hardened steel to a much softer copper for example, but each line has to be hand cut to a proper depth to receive and correctly transfer the ink onto to paper or printing substrate. (plastics and other synthetic materials can also be used as plates) Cutting into the metal can be similar to engraving a rifle or firearm, however, in reverse. The plate is then properly inked, the paper positioned and then must come into contact with the plate under a very precise and uniform pressure to evenly transfer the ink onto the surface of the paper. One small mis-step in any of the pre-press operations can result in abject failure and misery. The engraving, ink, pressure and paper also have to be compatible to achieve a proper result.

Now, it's time for my question to you, simply, what makes art good? Is it the artist, the medium or technique? Perhaps it's the composition, structure and balance? Or is it simply the message that's conveyed to the viewer/interpreter/us? The styles and ingenuity that can be utilized to produce a piece of art are as varied as the subject matter. What is it then that ultimately captures our imaginations when we look at an image? What is it that causes us to think either this is very good, or just more mediocre talent and/or horrible trash? That's what I'd like to hear from you gentlemen, what are your opinions? In the end isn't it all about what the individual viewer sees and interperates for him/her self?

Best regards!

Bill

Ps - a few Belgian anti-German postcards to enjoy ... Smile

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#6531 01/22/2010 08:46 PM
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2/3

"Outta here.."

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#6532 01/22/2010 08:47 PM
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3/3

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#6533 01/22/2010 10:44 PM
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My vote is for the message that's conveyed to the viewer.
All the better if this art has more qualities that are in addition to that aspect.

Thanks for helping in the understanding of the time and effort that went into some of these.
Probably the more it's understood the greater the appreciation will be?

#6534 01/23/2010 12:47 PM
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Dean,

I agree, the message is exactly what's important to me, too. How does it relate to me on a personal level? What do I take from this
particular image and can I express that feeling verbally? Remember the old Confucius saying about a picture being worth a thousand words?

That's what I enjoy, other peoples descriptions and observations on a given subject, sort of like an excellent dagger description ... Big Grin a good verbal interpretation also paints a picture for me, everybody sees things from a different perspective. Take any ordinary household item, say a pencil. Could you describe that simple thing to a blind person, well enough so that that person could form a good, clear mental image of that object? Sometimes it's not easy, heh. Cool

Yes, I also agree the more one can appreciate the difficult techniques behind a certain image or object, the more you will enjoy it. Exactly the same way as if you know the history behind a Knight's Cross and what it took to win one of those awards, then it becomes even more important/valuable/respected by us, the viewers.

Here's a lovely Aquarelle, (transparent watercolor) illustration by one of my favorites, Professor Sturm. Simply titled, "Silver Pheasant & Rhododendron."

Hope to hear what some of you may think about it?

Good collecting gents!

Bill

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#6535 01/23/2010 02:58 PM
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For me it's all about the subject matter, I'm not too worried about how it was made what form it takes or anything other than "Do I Like It", it's a simple matter really for me.

Gary

#6536 01/23/2010 05:10 PM
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Bill-

Is this one of those jaw dropping,mind blowing prints with the highest of difficulty ratings?

Like you mentioned a picture is worth a 1000 words and if this is a labor intense print I think it's becoming a bit clearer now on why.


Also, you mentioned that some engravings are done with different metals.What would be the benefit of using a hard metal as opposed to a softer one?

#6537 01/23/2010 05:23 PM
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Baz 69-

At first I would tend to agree that subject matter might be where it's at but what quality is it that sets apart when you have 2 peices with the same subject matter and favor one over the other?

#6538 01/24/2010 12:47 PM
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Dean,

Believe it or not, the pheasant print is beautifully reproduced but still isn't at the highest skill-level of printing, though, I'd consider this example to rank just below the gold-standard. The printers who produced this graphic were master-journeymen and absolute tops in their profession.

Gary -

Yes, I agree with you to a certain extant and will try to explain ... first - do I like it, yes or no? (that's the easy part) Much like any of our other collectibles, the details are what it's all about after everything's said and done. I believe that's what Dean was saying -"Does the printing method add something additional to the image?" In which case I'd have to say yes, a small pinch of added flavor. To most, they couldn't give a tinker's darn and that's fair enough - if you like something, that's it, fini. But knowing a little bit more about it never hurt, eh? For instance, if you know all the details that go into producing one of those outstanding Imperial Hirschfänger, you sort of appreciate it a bit more, nicht war? Attention to the myriads of producer-markings, stampings, codes and such is another detail that would add to the overall appeal of a fine hunting weapon, no?
True, in the end it all boils down to, "Do I like it..." ... but here my question is, why?

Sturm's Pheasant -

To my eye the symmetry, structure and balance of the decorative, Jugendstil iris-border is fantastic and stands all by itself. The lovely bird and flowers really pull one's concentration right into the heart of the painting and that bold spot of black on the fowl's head and chest makes for a powerful contrast, bold as brass. It really fastens the attention directly to the main subject. The anatomy and structure of the bird is excellent and the detail to the Rhododendron leaves, flowers and buds is near photographic quality, which I personally like. The pastel color-palette is so soft and yet vibrant and rich, an absolutely wonderful spectrum of pleasing tints. At once the whole thing has an enchanted, hazy look about it, while at the same time it's razor sharp and crystal clear. Almost like looking at an image while being in a dream-state ... nice, nice, nice! Something I could enjoy looking at for a long, long time.

Hope you might enjoy the Professor's classic illustration ... thanks fellas! Smile

WWII

#6539 01/24/2010 02:50 PM
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Bill

I know what I like but I don't know how to express why I like it???
I know exactly what you are saying, the hardship for most people is knowing exactly how it was produced in the first place, it's not always obvious and many a print has been mistaken for a painted picture. You would have to understand the nuances within the printing world to determine why you like one above the other before any conclusions could be drawn as to why you like it better. I agree that it's all about studying your subject, that way you can become informed on the nuances of that particular subject, I ask myself that basic question first, "do I like it" if the answer is yes and I think the item worth more research then I would delve more into it's manufacture, but still for me it is the most important fact to like it first. That's not to say I cannot appreciate the way it was produced, it's just hard to express myself because I know little of the method of manufacture.
I like most of the images posted within this thread to date, some are better than others, if it helps I like the images that are more lifelike that have good colour and are sharp in definition, I'm not sure I look too much past the composition and those traits listed above.

Gary

#6540 01/25/2010 08:49 AM
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Gary,

Well put ... Wink

... a few more nice birds by the Professor.

W~

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#6541 01/28/2010 03:59 AM
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Nice symmetry,nouveau styling,and realistic looking colors/birds on your latest post.

#6542 01/28/2010 10:14 PM
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Old postcard.
Back reads: Hotel Prinz Wilhelm
Ernst Zierenberg
Berlin NW 7 Dorotheensrt.14

Then: 'Jlwerba' G.m.b.H Berlin S14

What do you guys think the eagle represents in this case?

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#6543 01/29/2010 05:13 PM
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I would think the eagle represents Germany ( spec. German dominance or German right to dominance)... flying over the west bank of the Rhine (Alsace) establishing that, as the caption indicates, "the Rhine (is) Germany's river, (but) not Germany's border". The "mission" of the German Siegfried-type defender, with the eagle shield, is then pretty obvious.

Hope this helps (..also hope this is at least somewhat accurate Roll Eyes )


Roger
#6544 01/29/2010 08:43 PM
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Dean,

Roger's answer is right on the money ... Wink

I also think the eagle represents the German nation, with its mighty champion battling a powerful unseen foe, his shield partially shattered and full of the enemy's arrows. The country will send its bravest warriors against any and all challenges that threaten her borders, this one in the southwest, namely France.

Another great nationalistic postcard to remind the Germans of what is/was rightfully theirs. I would think it indicates production sometime after the Versailles Treaty when the Alsace region was given back to the French. This beautiful area was hotly contested between the two nations. For long years the region had a history of going back and forth, on and on, depending on who was more powerful at the moment.

The eagle on the hero's shield looks to be Prussian but I'm not certain if it was meant to represent that of the royal house?

Nice powerful image, thanks for posting!

Bill

#6545 01/29/2010 09:48 PM
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Great input and observations Foxart & WWII- Thank you

I just assumed it was an eagle kind of representing death coming to take a fatally wounded warrior off to Valhalla.

Appreciate you guys expanding the thoughts of a tiny mind.

#6546 01/30/2010 04:11 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by WWII:
I also think the eagle represents the German nation, with its mighty champion battling a powerful unseen foe, his shield partially shattered and full of the enemy's arrows. The country will send its bravest warriors against any and all challenges that threaten her borders, this one in the southwest, namely France.
Bill


Good verbal interpretation Bill

#6547 01/31/2010 11:42 AM
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Dean,

The fact that a few of us are enjoying these graphics pleases me no end ...

Good thing for us collectors the Germans were prolific at producing these postcard images, there are so many diverse themes to study and admire, plenty with military overtones, too. Some of those that are "staged" in a photographer's studio are very unique - having props, background-drops, great lighting as well as trick-photography methods that were no doubt "state-of-the-art" for that time period.

Here's a humorous example that I like that's titled, "A Strong Knocking-together," inferring the English, French and Russian dwarfs were going to get their collective heads bashed together ... and we all know how well that worked out ... heh..

The second is a plain, simple Easter greeting with military/patriotic motifs, most likely something one could purchase in the PX for a penny or two.

The third image is of Siegfried/Sigmund from Nordic Sagas which were found written on runic tablets, decyphered and then written into slightly different versions with character names changing regionally, here and there. This is the Icelandic version and the hero's name is Sigurd, whereas in the middle-high German version our champion's name is Siegfried, who slays the mighty dragon, Fafnir. These old tales are full of descriptions of legendary, powerful, magical swords and edged weapons that were painstakingly forged by sophisticated elves, dwarves and gnomes for both the heroes and villains of the stories. It's also one of the reasons why the sword is a common leitmotif in older German culture, especially in books and illustrations.

Borrowed this brief background on Sigurd/Siegfried that will give you a small taste for the Sagas ...

In the Völsunga saga, Sigurd is the posthumous son of Sigmund and his second wife, Hiordis. Sigmund dies in battle when he attacks Odin (who is in disguise), and Odin shatters Sigmund's sword. Dying, Sigmund tells Hiordis of her pregnancy and bequeaths the fragments of his sword to his unborn son.
Sigurd agrees to kill Fafnir, who has turned himself into a dragon in order to be better able to guard the gold. Sigurd has Regin make him a sword, which he tests by striking the anvil. The sword shatters, so he has Regin make another. This also shatters. Finally, Sigurd has Regin make a sword out of the fragments that had been left to him by Sigmund. The resulting sword, Gram, cuts through the anvil. To kill Fafnir the dragon, Regin advises him to dig a pit, wait for Fafnir to walk over it, and then stab the dragon. Odin, posing as an old man, advises Sigurd to dig trenches also to drain the blood, and to bathe in it after killing the dragon; bathing in Fafnir's blood confers invulnerability. Sigurd does so and kills Fafnir; Sigurd then bathes in the dragon's blood, which touches all of his body except for one of his shoulders where a leaf was stuck. Regin then asked Sigurd to give him Fafnir's heart for himself. Sigurd drinks some of Fafnir's blood and gains the ability to understand the language of birds. Birds advise him to kill Regin, since Regin is plotting Sigurd's death. Sigurd beheads Regin, roasts Fafnir's heart and consumes part of it. This gives him the gift of "wisdom" (prophecy).

For anyone who collects German swords and daggers my best advice would be to read some of the old Norse legends, you'll gain a lot of insight into why the Germans held them in such high esteem. Wink

Cheers!

Bill

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#6548 01/31/2010 11:42 AM
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#6549 01/31/2010 11:43 AM
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#6550 02/01/2010 02:22 AM
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Look at the facial expression of the head basher.Like he's having a great time.


Something art does to religion,mythology,& legends that for me makes it even more intresting and appealing.

Here's a postcard dealing with a German legend (I think) and is postaly dated 1905.


Not sure what the German text means but from breif online reading I think Lorelei drown herself in a river over love then turned into a siren that would sing hypnotic music that lured sailors to their death.

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#6551 02/03/2010 09:44 AM
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At Bacharach, a blonde sorceress there was,
Who made all men perish from love.

So the French poet Guillaume Apollinaire described the Lorelei, and so we see her, a golden-haired girl whose irresistible song attracted the vessels of the Rhine and led them to shipwreck.

Though the legend has probably lived in the hearts of Rhine sailors since antiquity, the Lorelei we know dates from the beginning of the 19th century. The famous crag overhanging the waters of the Rhine downstream from Bacharach was the subject of legends long before the Lorelei appeared on the scene, however.

Situated at one of the most dangerous passes in the Rhine, the rock inspired fear and curiosity because of its echo, which was believed to possess the powers of an oracle. When ships approached, passengers shouted questions about their fates. According to anonymous 12th century verses, dwarfs perched on the rock sent back answers through the echo. The crag also figured in the epic poem the Nibelungenlied. The hero, Siegfried, possessed a treasure, but the villain, Hagen, killed Siegfried and threw the treasure into the Rhine not far from the echoing rock.

In 1801, in his novel Godwi, the German poet Clemens Brentano published a ballad, "Lora-Lay,” set in medieval times. He claimed to have created the myth by leading his readers to believe that the Lorelei was a part of popular folklore. His heroine, "so beautiful and so slender," was summoned by the bishop on account of the havoc she was wreaking among the local menfolk.

My lord bishop, make me die;
I am weary of life,
For all must perish
Who gaze into my eyes.

The young girl, victim of an evil spell that was fatal even for her, had another reason to beg for death: her lover had been unfaithful and had left her. But the bishop, charmed like all the others, could not bring himself to condemn her to death and sent her to a convent. On her way, she climbed a rock to take one last look at the waters of the Rhine. On the horizon she perceived a sail, and thought her lover was returning.

My heart with joy is full,
That must, must be my love!
And then the lass bent down
And plunged into the Rhine.

To Brentano, who was twenty-three when he wrote the tale, the poor girl was the victim of her feelings and of her own gaze. She incarnated the curse of love. This theme was popular with other Romantics, who were fascinated by her at about the same age. Both Joseph Eichendorff and Apollinaire were twenty-two when they took up the tale, and the German poet Heinrich Heine was twenty-five. Eichendorff s contribution was significant because he added to the legend. In his version, put to music by Robert Schumann, the Lorelei is dressed in black with a white veil and wears a crown of pearls in her blond hair.

In Heine's version, the Lorelei is associated with the sirens of the Odyssey whose voices called sailors to their death. There is no longer anything about her magic gaze. Brentano's notion of the siren's fatal gaze was not taken up again until the 20th century. Apollinaire, inspired by the famous rock, wrote:

My heart becomes so tender - it is my lover
approaching
And then she leaned forward and fell in the
Rhine
For she, had seen in the water the beauteous
Loreley,
Her eyes the color of the Rhine, her hair of sun.

Smile

B~

#6552 02/04/2010 03:02 AM
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Wish I had 1/10 of your writting talent Bill.
That was a really intresting and in depth write up that I learned allot from. Thanks for that.

Another image of a warrior being schooled by an elder.I wonder what words of wisdom he's offering.

With so much material of this type it's no wonder the generations that were brought up on this stuff turned out to be such a fierce and patriotic fighting force.

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#6553 02/05/2010 08:48 AM
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Dean,

You've got a fine collection of postcards, really an excellent cultural study. History and legend seem to blend well together.

By the way, that nice compliment about my writing skill is undeserved, I just cobbled that together from a couple of encyclopedias ... Big Grin ... I'll add some more brief, borrowed explanations here to help describe your latest image.

The elder you mention is none other than Wotan or Odin. Wotan, in Norse Mythology was a warrior sovereign, and is often seen as the primary god. The Nazis used the archetype of Wotan because of his "Warrior-King" traits, but many of even the top ranking officials believed in the Mythological character as more than merely Archetype. Josef Goebbels, in his conference notes once made the remark regarding what was to be let known about the Nazi agenda for the post-war period, said, "We will of course not let them know about Wotan. (Woden)". More remarkably, Wotan, or Odin, was rumored to have hung himself on a tree to obtain knowledge which was granted him, and gave his victory in doing so gave him the ability to travel freely in the nether-worlds (like hell) or in the heavens. The Nazis at the highest level intended after Europe was in their control, to assimilate the Church, and re-interpret such central doctrines as Christ's crucifixtion and victory over death, with the keys to Heaven and Hell in terms of old Norse Legend, or as it was referred to as 'volkish mysticism'. Wotan or Odin is also said to have learned runes in this way, which fascinated the Nazis.(the swastika is an example of a rune)

On the young warrior's shield we can see, "Bund der Deutschen in Böhmen," or League of Germans in Bohemia. That will bring us to this ...

Lands constituting German Bohemia were historically an integral part of the Habsburgs Kingdom of Bohemia but, with the imminent collapse of Habsburg Austria-Hungary at the end of World War I, areas of the Czech-majority Bohemia with an ethnic German majority who began to take actions to avoid joining a new Czechoslovak state. On 27 October 1918, the Egerland region declared independence from Bohemia and a day later the independence of Czechoslovakia was proclaimed in the Bohemian capital of Prague.

On 11 November 1918, Emperor Charles I of Austria relinquished power and, on 12 November, the ethnic German areas of the empire were declared the Republic of German Austria with the intent of unifying with Germany. The Province of German Bohemia (German: Provinz Deutschböhmen) was formed from the part of Bohemia containing the most ethnic Germans (however, ethnic German areas of southwestern Bohemia in the Bohemian Forest Region were added to Upper Austria instead of German Bohemia). The capital of the province was Liberec.

In late November 1918, the Czechoslovak army began an invasion of German Bohemia and during December it occupied whole area of the region with Liberec falling on 16 December and the last major city, Litom??ice, falling on 27 December 1918. The status of German areas in Bohemia and Moravia was definitively settled by the 1919 peace treaties of Versailles and Saint-Germain-en-Laye that declared that the areas belong to Czechoslovakia. The Czechoslovak Government then granted amnesty for all activities against the new state.
The region was then reintegrated into the Bohemian Land of the First Republic of Czechoslovakia and remained a part of it until the Nazi dismemberment of Czechoslovakia when it was added to Sudetenland. After World War II, the area was returned to Czechoslovakia. Most of the remaining German population living in the region following the War were driven out of the country; many of these persons were killed or died during their flight from the attacking Czech and Soviet armies.

The date of the Christmas greeting, December 20, 1918, on your card coincides perfectly with the events depicted and those described - neat! Wink

Bill

#6554 02/06/2010 12:20 AM
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Your being modest in estimating your knowledge and talent,but that's about what I'd expected.
Anyways, thanks for the better appreciation for the postcard because of this extra info.

I think the plan you mentioned for post war 'volkish mysticism' is intresting and am wondering who in the N.S. government were the biggest fans of this and how big was Hitler on it from a propaganda point of view and on a personal beleif point of view?

Also this thread shows how this art was displayed for generations and generations before the 3rd Reich era.Are these beliefs/practices now pretty much gone in modern day Europe?

#6555 02/07/2010 10:44 AM
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Dean,

I believe Himmler was the chief proponent behind many of the new laws in store for conquered territories and peoples that were thoroughly steeped in völkisch tenets. Rosenberg was a big-believer too, but far, far less influential. I would also think that German culture in general, hand-in-hand with a healthy dose of romantic mysticism, was a common thread that ran through many German and National Socialist minds of the time? Hitler, Göhring and Goebbels may have been far too pragmatic, especially once the war had started, than to entertain themselves with fanciful thoughts of old legends and tales, though, each was very well-versed and familiar with the subject matter. To Himmler, more than any of the others, these thoughts and notions played an important role and even dominated his perception of the world around him, a brave new world in which he would have the power to shape and create - frightening.

I really can't say how much of an influence the old epics have in today's modern German culture? I'd venture to say no more than American kids pay attention to old lore and fairy tales? However, the old warrior legends do tend to make for exciting Xbox gaming, so I'm told ... Cool

Best!

B~

#6556 02/08/2010 10:34 PM
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I really liked the art on this one.
Measures about 16 x 12

Germania1.jpg (23.55 KB, 310 downloads)
#6557 02/08/2010 10:35 PM
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Back

Germania_back.jpg (34.1 KB, 308 downloads)
#6558 02/08/2010 10:36 PM
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Middle

Germania_middle.jpg (35.53 KB, 304 downloads)
#6559 02/09/2010 04:56 AM
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Post card

1.jpg (43.45 KB, 293 downloads)
#6560 02/11/2010 09:54 PM
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Postcard #2 from same lot.
Amazing penmanship and writing skills these generations possessed.
Shows yet just another example of how civilization has reached it's peak and has been in the state of decline for some time now.JMO

2.jpg (63.08 KB, 257 downloads)
#6561 02/12/2010 08:53 AM
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Dean,

"Unser Volk in Waffen" is one of the German classics written about the First World War. I believe Christian Speyer did the illustrations, which are some of the best military depictions out there. His drawing style reminds me of the work of one of his famous contemporaries, Paul Casberg, a personal favorite. Those are some fabulous uniform studies that you've posted, talk about photo-realism with a pencil.

The postcards have that distinct imperial look to them, there's a feeling to these images that's somehow almost tangible? The Hohenzollern/German eagle chasing the proud French cock back over the border is mindful of the Belgians herding the German swine home, too. Very powerful in black and white, it immediately focuses one's attention on the two birds and the banner headline, "Steadfast and True, The Watch Over the Rhine..."

The second illustration makes me think of the artwork that's found on German military beersteins. Very colorful line-art of the artillery boys bombarding the Fortress of Reims.
Great use of the searchlight's cone of vision to highlight the stronghold, the wisps of smoke playing through the light are especially well rendered.

Lots of outstanding graphics here!

B~

#6562 02/18/2010 07:16 PM
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Again WWII, great verbal interpetation on the postcard.I totally missed the searchlight cone of vision and the wisps of smoke details that you picked up on.

Seriously I think you would have mad talent for auction write ups.

In trying to keep this thread going here's a 7 X 5 ex libris that I know absolutely nothing about but had to pay dearly for (at least on my budget) so kind of hoping it turns out to be something good.

To me it seemed to me be type of art that had the message conveyed idea going on.
Not knowing German I kind of thought it had the life and death theme behind it but just guessing.
It seems to be signed at the bottom.

There is evidence of it being once attatched and there is also a penciled name of W. Rehn-1925 plus a series of numbers on the back.

Looked cool to me but if it doesn't fall into the lines of the thread don't hesitate to pull it.

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#6563 02/18/2010 07:17 PM
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Art close up

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#6564 02/19/2010 01:16 AM
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Dean,

Looks pretty cool if you ask me and falls dead on concerning this thread and don't think it should be pulled. Smile I'm sure Bill will know more about this. His insight and calibrated eyes are phenomenal.

#6565 02/20/2010 02:52 AM
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Thanks for the nice words Mikee.
Agree with you on Bill's talent's which he is so modest about.
How great is it to have access to all the great minds on this forum.

#6566 02/20/2010 07:12 AM
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Dean,
Some might find these themes appalling but I find them somewhat appealing and tend to focus strictly on the art form and talent it takes to create such things. I guess in many cultures including Germany, skeletons were and still are a popular theme. Some I guess more so than others and no doubt a popular theme due to events in history or believe. I have an old deer antler that was carved in Germany with skeletons, an interesting piece that Bill identified as Franz Liszt’s Totentanz or Danse Macabre.

I think we are very fortunate indeed!

#6567 02/20/2010 08:22 AM
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Sounds interesting.Do you happen to have a link?
Also, any idea on how old you think it is?

Along with the skeletons in German culture I've been seeing quite a few owls.
One exlibris book plate even had the owl eyeballing a skull.Unfortunately I wasn't able to get that one.

Wish it was as easy for me to focus on the art form and talent involved but there's allot I don't know about the subject.Just trying to learn along the way.

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