Lot 964

Keller, Albert von
1844 Gais (Bruneck) - 1920 München

Nude in the Countryside. Oil on canvas. Laid on fibreboard. 108.5 x 46.5cm. Signed and dated lower right: Albert(rubbed) v. Keller 98. Framed.

As a founding member and president of the Munich Secession the Zurich-born developed into
one of the most important painters of the early Munich Modernism. Various exhibitions and
publishings of his works in contemporary magazines illustrate the eminence of his art. His
entire oevre represents the development form the Salon painting of the late 19th century
to a free painting inspired by Impressionism. The lexicon of the Munich Painting School
says in reference to his free pieces: ''Thematisch bevorzugte Keller in dieser Phase das
intime Salonstück mit der Darstellung er mondänen Frau, ein Sujet, das er bis in seine
Spätzeit immer variierte.'' (''Thematically Keller favoured the intimate Salon piece in this
phase with the depiction of the mundane woman, a sujet he varied until his late years.'')
(ibid. Volume 2, p. 289). A particularly representative portrait of a lady, in presumably
original frame, influenced by Japonism and the excitement for the newly discovered art
from remote Asia, is the large oval piece shown here - in contrast to the much more airy
and spring-like, while not less imposing Nude in the Countryside of 1898.