Alexander Eiling – författare

Like hardly any other artist, Pierre-Auguste Renoir has shaped our understanding of the atmospheric figure paintings of Impressionism. His painting La fin du déjeuner, which has been in the Städel Museum in Frankfurt since 1910, is now the starting point for a far-reaching examination of an important source of inspiration that accompanied him throughout his life: the Rococo. Considered frivolous and immoral after the French Revolution, this style of painting experienced a renaissance in the 19th century and was widely celebrated during Renoir’s lifetime. Published on the occasion of the Städel Museum’s major exhibition, this comprehensive volume explores Renoir’s multifaceted connection to tradition through illuminating juxtapositions of his art with 18th-century works and contemporaries.

Making van Gogh focuses on the œuvre of Vincent van Gogh in the context of its reception. The publication examines the particular role which German gallerists, collectors, critics and museums played in the story of his success. At the same time it sheds light on the importance of van Gogh as a role model for the avant-garde generation of artists.“Van Gogh is dead, but the van Gogh-chaps are alive! And how alive they are! It is van Goghing everywhere”, was how Ferdinand Avenarius described it in 1910 in the magazine Der Kunstwart. Vincent van Gogh’s paintings exerted a particular fascination on young artists in Germany at the beginning of the twentieth century. Barely fifteen years after his death the Dutch artist was seen as one of the most important forerunners of modern painting. A selection of key works from all van Gogh’s creative phases are juxtaposed with works by Max Beckmann, Erich Heckel, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Paula Modersohn-Becker, Gabriele Münter, Karl Schmidt-Rottluff and others.

This exhibition catalog explores the profound influence of French art on Carl Schuch, one of the most intriguing painters of the late 19th century.A cosmopolitan artist who traveled between Austria, Germany, Italy, Holland, and France, Schuch absorbed diverse ideas that shaped his distinctive artistic vision. Bridging tradition and modernity, his work blends value painting with liberated brushwork, rich color contrasts, and a deep reverence for the natural world. Influenced by French masters like Courbet, Corot, Daubigny, Manet, Monet, and Cézanne, Schuch perfected his own fluid, rhythmic brushstrokes and luminous color. His still- life paintings and landscapes reflect meticulous explorations of light, and the materiality of paint.This volume features eight insightful essays covering a range of topics related to Schuch’s development, and artistic environment. Research using the latest art technology provides insights into the genesis of his paintings. Juxtapositions with works by his French contemporaries highlight both shared techniques and Schuch’s unique identity.Richly illustrated with numerous color plates, the book captures the essence of the artist’s mastery and showcases his groundbreaking style and enduring legacy. Perfect for seasoned art lovers and newcomers alike, this volume offers an inspiring analysis of light, color, and form, by an artist who drew deeply from France’s artistic traditions and redefined the possibilities of painting in his time.