Page 99 - Gallery 19C Nazarenes Catalogues

2 14 PROVENANCE EXHIBITED LITERATURE
Alexander Maximillian Seitz Private collection, Austria Munich, Kunstausstellung, 1829 Schorn’s Kunstblatt, Munich,
GER M AN, 1811–1888 Sale, Christie’s, Vienna, Mauerbach, 19 November 1829, no. 93, p. 371
Items Seized by the Nazis to be Sold
Nagler 1835–1852, vol. 16, 224
JOSEPH BEING SOLD INTO SLAVERY for the Benefit of the Victims of the Boetticher 1891–1901, vol. II/2
signed with monogrammed M.S. and dated 1829 (lower right) Holocaust, 29 & 30, October 1996, (1901), no. 1, 733
oil on canvas lot 519
49 ¹/₄ by 69 ⁵/₈ in. (125 by 177 cm) Edmond Safra for Republic
National Bank (acquired at
the above sale)
Sale, Sotheby’s, New York,
26 October 2004, lot 62
Private Collection, California
(acquired at the above sale)

Alexander Maximilian Seitz (1811–1888) was already the third generation The choice to depict this particular Old Testament theme was a conscious Of course, at this point, Seitz had seen neither in person. Instead,
of a productive Bavarian artist family. Merely 12 years old, he enrolled at homage to his teacher, Cornelius, and to the moment when the Munich he resorted for his early oil painting to a black-and-white model: the
the Munich Academy of the Arts, where he studied under Peter Cornelius master and his Nazarene cohort (the so-called Lukasbund or Brother masterful lithography by the Swiss Hans Jacob Oeri (1782–1868).
(1783–1867) and Heinrich Hess (1798–1863), who immediately took a of St. Luke) had turned from rebellious outsiders to internationally Produced after Overbeck’s 1817 cartoon drawing, Oeri had published
shining to his precocious pupil. Subsequently, Seitz began to assist his recognized trendsetters a decade and a half earlier (see Figs. 6-8). I have his coveted print only three years earlier, in 1826, (Cat. 14a). In the
mentor in 1832 with the mural decorations of Munich’s All Saints church. discussed the circumstances of this breakthrough in the text, and thus process of making Overbeck’s idea his own, Seitz now did not so much
Built between 1826 and 1837 after plans by Leo von Klenze, the court it may suffice here to remind the reader of the event’s basic outlines: copy the older artist than pay homage. The figures and groups lifted
church was frescoed, to international fanfare, in a neo-Byzantine style. In 1816, the originary nucleus of this branch of Romantic art had finally from Overbeck’s composition take on a citational quality, while Seitz
Seitz designed and painted four of the sacraments (Baptism, Confirmation, received the long-awaited commission for substantive mural decorations. rearranged them into a new narrative layout and sometimes, as in
Confession and Matrimony), the cartoons of which he exhibited, again with The locale was the banqueting room of the Prussian envoy, Jakob Ludwig the case of the young man leaning on his spear, even turned them in
great success, at the local art show. Upon completion of the frescoes, Salomon Bartholdy (1779–1825), who had taken residence in the Palazzo space. Instead of looking over his shoulder, the spear-bearer is now
Seitz’s contribution caught the eye of Cornelius, who now took it upon Zuccari, near the Spanish Steps. Free to choose their subject matter the facing us frontally. In addition, Seitz allocated much more space to
himself to intervene personally with King Ludwig I on behalf of the artists decided on the Old Testament story of Joseph. The work was not the landscape, while adding a much richer tonality that the frescoes
young artist. Cornelius was successful and with the king’s permission easy; inexperienced, the group struggled with the unfamiliar medium could have ever achieve. We almost see Seitz’ painting opening a
and patronage too the young disciple departed for Rome. The journey to and failed-despite their constant rhetorical evocation of their unified devoted and devotional conversation with his model, Overbeck’s
the Eternal City would change Seitz’s life and art forever. The Bavarian vision as an artists collective—to develop a cohesive style. In the end, canvas, and it is hardly surprising that this conversation would turn
settled at the Tiber for good and remained in Rome until his death. the panels were quite independent of each other, differing in style and into a lifelong bond when Seitz finally met his idol. When Overbeck’s
Not a household name, Seitz was a prolific and well-received artist, compositional principles, as well as the figures’ scale, perspective and strength began to decline decades later and the former Lukasbruder
who in later years successfully collaborated with his son Ludwig light distribution. These inconsistencies notwithstanding, the result was was no longer up for the task of monumental fresco, Seitz would
(1844–1908) on various projects, among them a volume with 48 breathtaking and remained a must-see until the frescoes’s transfer to come to his rescue. With the aid of his son Ludwig, he finished what
scenes from the life of Christ and the saints (published in 1872). Berlin in 1886–1887. Looking back, Peter Cornelius would later proclaim, Overbeck had begun: the mural decorations of the main cathedral in
“This work makes me the happiest of people, and even if I only had Djakovo, Croatia. And thus, the Nazarenes’ story came full circle.
Like so many artists of his generation and disposition, Seitz felt one crust of bread left, I would not change it ... . In my breast, there
particularly attracted to the art and persona of Johann Friedrich beats a sure, prophetic feeling that art will break through from here to a
Overbeck (1789–1869), whom he regarded as a kindred spirit. new, beautiful existence.” Interestingly enough, though, Seitz did not
1
Nothing demonstrates the shared spiritual and artistic sensibility more turn to Cornelius’s emotionally intense images and compositionally Cat. 14a Hans Jacob Oeri, Joseph Sold into Slavery by His Brothers, 1826.
poignantly than Seitz’s first major success; a rendition of Joseph being gripping depictions of Joseph Interpreting the Pharaoh’s Dream and Joseph Lithograph, 55.9 × 69.9 cm, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia
sold into Slavery by his Brothers (Genesis 37:18-36). Submitted in 1829 to Revealing Himself to His Brothers, which many regarded as the cycle’s
the Munich art exhibition, the ambitious, multi-figured composition finest. Instead, he was drawn to the much quieter, much more introvert ¹ https://artsandculture.google.com/asset/joseph-reveals-himself-to-his-
brought the merely eighteen-year-old instant recognition. brothers-peter-von-cornelius/7AHRu93WQk_rHg?hl=en
rendition of another key scene, The Sale of Joseph into Slavery by his
Jealous Brothers, which showcased Overbeck’s spiritual lyricism, tinged
with an early Renaissance sensibility and sense of color (see Fig. 7).

98 99