Lot 63

Beneš Knüpfer (1844 - 1910) PORTRAIT OF A MAN

Benes Knüpfer established himself as a painter of late Romanticism, popular for his symbolist works with motifs of the sea and sea fairies. Less well known is his realistic portrait work, which is an important element of genesis and sea scenes. While still a student, he began to focus on motifs from Prague life and portraiture. Portraits of women and men are among the evocative examples of his painterly qualities, which he subsequently applied in his freelance work in Italy, where he settled permanently. With a brisk, masterful hand, he was able to render both intimate portraits and monumental marinas. Although his paintings were appreciated in the circles of wealthy merchants, he struggled with the wider acceptance of his paintings in the milieu of Czech modernism. He ended his life tragically.