7116 - Stückgold, Stanislaus

Stückgold, Stanislaus Christmas Oil on canvas. Probably before 1920. 81 x 102 cm. Monogrammed “St.” in red with a brush in the lower right corner; signed “Stückgold” on the reverse. Colorful blooming flowers, painted nativity figures, and a Christmas tree decorated with toys form the backdrop for this family scene with their vibrant colors. Both figures seem to be enveloped in a loving magic. The artist likely used his daughter—whose disability he does not conceal—and his wife, Elisabeth Veress-Stückgold, as models. After Stückgold—a chemist and engineer—had supported the unsuccessful revolution in Poland in 1905–06, he began studying art in Warsaw, attended the painting school of the Hungarian artist Simon Hollósy, and, in the summer of 1908, visited the artists’ colony in Nagybánya. Soon afterward, Stückgold moved to Paris and became a student of Henri Matisse; he met Henri Rousseau and exhibited at the Salon des Indépendants. In 1913, Stückgold and his wife moved to Munich and joined the Anthroposophical Society. Stanislaus Stückgold was regarded as a respected painter in the Parisian and Munich art circles before World War I. In 1920, the couple separated; Elisabeth moved to Dornach to live with Rudolf Steiner, accompanied by her friend, the anthroposophist Albert Steffen. As early as the end of 1933, a comprehensive memorial exhibition was held at Bernheim-Jeune in Paris. On the reverse: fragment of a larger composition. Provenance: Private collection, Romania - Please request condition reports for the lots, as the condition is usually not specified in the catalog. - Please ask for condition reports for individual lots, as the condition is usually not mentioned in the catalog.