Achenbach, Oswald. (1827-1905)
Autograph Letter
An interesting autograph letter from the German landscape painter to Berlin art dealer Rudolph Lepke, apologizing for not delivering a group of promised paintings and explaining the difficult circumstances around their production in Italy. Rome, October 4, 1871. Achenbach explains that the paintings he had intended to send to Berlin were damaged by moisture during his travels to Naples and had to be repainted; he writes that he has sent several other paintings as a "deposit": "I would not have sent them to you, if I wasn't so desperately in need of money." (Full translation below.) 4 pp. on a black-edged bifolium. Light toning but overall in very fine condition. 5.25 x 8.25 inches (13.3 x 21 cm).The German painter Oswald Achenbach was associated with the Düsseldorf school of painting. Though little known today, during his lifetime he was counted among the most important landscape painters of Europe. He traveled often through Europe; this letter dates from the 9 months he spent in Italy in 1871, shortly before he gave up his professorship at the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf to focus on his own painting.
Rudolph Lepke (1845–1904) was a German art dealer, who founded in 1869 Berlin's first art auction house. His show room on Berlin's Unter den Linden was a landmark; Theodor Fontane's novel Irrungen und Wirrungen (1888) mentions paintings by Achenbach hanging in the window.
Translated from the German, in full:
"Dear Herr Lepke,
You will certainly be very surprised, that you have not yet received the small pictures?! And also that I have not yet confirmed receipt of 4000 francs. The pictures were finished, but not yet stretched onto frames; I first had to go to Naples to have that done. Then came the time of bad weather in Naples; we were in Sorrento and protected there. All the storms were blocked by the Monte St. Angelo. You could say we had found a place where there are no storms for 4-5 months out of the year, that is, in the summer. So, when we finally able to go to Naples, the weather was fresh. We had not yet visited Pompeii, Salerno, and Amalfi; we started the tour straight away.
When I got to Naples to have the pictures stretched, I found that they were completely stuck to each other. All our luggage was almost ruined. I had to paint them all over again. I wouldn't have thought it possible that these pieces could be so sticky, but it was so, and it was the fault of the neapolitan material. Three pieces have been on their way to you since 8 days ago. I have others in progress, and because I have to stay at home for a few hours, I think I will finish those here.
I already wrote to you that you should consider these pictures a deposit, and I will send you others later. I would not have sent them to you, if I wasn't so desperately in need of money.
My banker has already told people who don't have any business knowing it how much I need, and he won't let any more money come to me through him.
I hope that Herr Julius is well again; Herr Louis will undoubtedly find bad weather here, for in always rains dreadfully here at the end of October and in November. For the last half year we have had glorious summer weather.
I hope you are well. We are staying here for the next fortnight; perhaps we will see each other.
Yours,
Osw. Achenbach." (14744)
Autograph Letter Art & Design