Max Frey (1874-1944) - Interieur mit Mann am Herd
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Description from the seller
Frey, Max - Interior with Man at the Stove
WARNING OF CONFUSION
IMPORTANT: There exists a second painter named Max Frey (born 1902) — do not confuse! Our Max Frey lived 1874–1944, was a professor in Dresden and belongs to the Symbolism/Magic Realism generation. Wikipedia lists both separately: “Max Frey (Painter, 1874)” vs. “Max Frey (Painter, 1902).”
ARTIST
Frey, Max (1874 Mühlburg near Karlsruhe - 1944 Bad Harzburg)
German landscape and figure painter, graphic artist
Era: 19th–20th centuries · Style: Art Nouveau (early work) → Symbolism (1910s–20s) → New Objectivity / Magic Realism (1920s–40s). Influenced by the Vienna Secession in composition, preferred square format in late work (documented 70x70 cm). Mythological-exotic motifs, fairy-tale and fable illustration, genre scenes, landscapes, stage design tradition.
Max Adolf Peter Frey — German landscape and figure painter, graphic artist, university lecturer. Born 16 April 1874 in Mühlburg near Karlsruhe, died 11 March 1944 in Bad Harzburg.
TRAINING: School of Arts and Crafts Karlsruhe (basic training). 1893–1903 studied at the Karlsruhe Academy under Ferdinand Keller, Gustav Schönleber and Leopold von Kalckreuth.
EARLY CAREER: Worked as a theater painter in Berlin and Mannheim during or before studies. Briefly in Frankfurt am Main from 1904, where he married.
DRESDEN 1906–1937: Moved to Dresden in 1906. From 1907 teacher, from 1910 professor at the Royal Saxon College of Arts and Crafts Dresden (later Dresden Academy of Fine Arts). Taught Graphic Design, Landscape Painting, and Applied Arts. Last mention in the Dresden directory of residents 1937 as artist and professor. …
The artist worked in the following techniques: sculpture, lithography, graphics, tempera, wood, oil on wood, oil on cardboard, illustration, scenography, graphic design (+6 more)
Teachers: Ferdinand Keller, Gustav Schönleber, Leopold von Kalckreuth
Students: Hans Grundig, Hans Theo Richter, Oscar Cahén
Works among others in: Düsseldorf · Dresden-Blasewitz · Berlin · Jack Daulton Collection, Los Altos Hills (USA) · Till-Eulenspiegel Museum Schöppenstedt · Vienna (+2 more)
KNOWN WORKS / AUCTION REFERENCES
— “Die Überfahrt Venezia-Chioggia” (1903, oil) — Auction record Max Frey: 3,803 USD, Grisebach 2012
— “Evening by the River / Abend am Fluss” (1905, oil)
— “Flight into Egypt” (1911, oil)
— “Morning Fog / Morgennebel” (1911, oil)
— “The Allerhalter” (1912, oil)
— … as well as 13 additional documented works.
WORK
Title: Interior with Man at the Stove
Origin: undated (creative period 1894-1944)
Material / Technique: Watercolor on paper
Unique work — Original, no edition
DIMENSIONS
Image size: 28.3 × 28.4 cm (Height × Width)
Weight: 45 g
SIGNATURE
Signed
Documented signature variants of the artist: “MAX FREY” · “MAX-FREY” · “MAX-FREY. 1916.” · “MAX FREY 1939” · “Max Frey”
CONDITION
Overall condition: requires restoration. Detailed assessment based on the photos; further condition notes available on request.
Square watercolor depicting a kitchen scene: A single man stands in backlight before a window and holds a steaming pot over a stove. The composition is architecturally clear, with a central table and kitchen furniture. The coloring is warm, with strong light-shadow contrasts and atmospheric spatial effect. The paper shows evident water stains and foxing in the lower area, indicating moisture exposure and storage damage. The signature 'MAX-FREY' is independently and clearly executed in the lower left. The reverse is uninscribed. The depiction and technique correspond to early Modernism, with realistic but loose brushwork. Restoration is needed due to visible moisture damage.
PROVENANCE
empty
SHIPPING
Unframed shipping — flat or rolled, carefully packaged.
SOURCES AND VERIFICATION
Listed in: Bénézit, Dictionnaire des Peintres, Sculpteurs, Dessinateurs et Graveurs (Vol. 5, p. 707) · ISGV — Saxon Biography · Vollmer, Allgemeines Lexikon der Bildenden Künstler des XX. Jahrhunderts · Wikipedia (German).
Wikipedia: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Frey_(Maler,_1874)
Gold standard entry in the KODEX database (14 independent sources).
DOCUMENTATION
Provenance evidence (collection record, studio-dissolution context, collection documentation) available on request — 15 €.
Frey, Max - Interior with Man at the Stove
WARNING OF CONFUSION
IMPORTANT: There exists a second painter named Max Frey (born 1902) — do not confuse! Our Max Frey lived 1874–1944, was a professor in Dresden and belongs to the Symbolism/Magic Realism generation. Wikipedia lists both separately: “Max Frey (Painter, 1874)” vs. “Max Frey (Painter, 1902).”
ARTIST
Frey, Max (1874 Mühlburg near Karlsruhe - 1944 Bad Harzburg)
German landscape and figure painter, graphic artist
Era: 19th–20th centuries · Style: Art Nouveau (early work) → Symbolism (1910s–20s) → New Objectivity / Magic Realism (1920s–40s). Influenced by the Vienna Secession in composition, preferred square format in late work (documented 70x70 cm). Mythological-exotic motifs, fairy-tale and fable illustration, genre scenes, landscapes, stage design tradition.
Max Adolf Peter Frey — German landscape and figure painter, graphic artist, university lecturer. Born 16 April 1874 in Mühlburg near Karlsruhe, died 11 March 1944 in Bad Harzburg.
TRAINING: School of Arts and Crafts Karlsruhe (basic training). 1893–1903 studied at the Karlsruhe Academy under Ferdinand Keller, Gustav Schönleber and Leopold von Kalckreuth.
EARLY CAREER: Worked as a theater painter in Berlin and Mannheim during or before studies. Briefly in Frankfurt am Main from 1904, where he married.
DRESDEN 1906–1937: Moved to Dresden in 1906. From 1907 teacher, from 1910 professor at the Royal Saxon College of Arts and Crafts Dresden (later Dresden Academy of Fine Arts). Taught Graphic Design, Landscape Painting, and Applied Arts. Last mention in the Dresden directory of residents 1937 as artist and professor. …
The artist worked in the following techniques: sculpture, lithography, graphics, tempera, wood, oil on wood, oil on cardboard, illustration, scenography, graphic design (+6 more)
Teachers: Ferdinand Keller, Gustav Schönleber, Leopold von Kalckreuth
Students: Hans Grundig, Hans Theo Richter, Oscar Cahén
Works among others in: Düsseldorf · Dresden-Blasewitz · Berlin · Jack Daulton Collection, Los Altos Hills (USA) · Till-Eulenspiegel Museum Schöppenstedt · Vienna (+2 more)
KNOWN WORKS / AUCTION REFERENCES
— “Die Überfahrt Venezia-Chioggia” (1903, oil) — Auction record Max Frey: 3,803 USD, Grisebach 2012
— “Evening by the River / Abend am Fluss” (1905, oil)
— “Flight into Egypt” (1911, oil)
— “Morning Fog / Morgennebel” (1911, oil)
— “The Allerhalter” (1912, oil)
— … as well as 13 additional documented works.
WORK
Title: Interior with Man at the Stove
Origin: undated (creative period 1894-1944)
Material / Technique: Watercolor on paper
Unique work — Original, no edition
DIMENSIONS
Image size: 28.3 × 28.4 cm (Height × Width)
Weight: 45 g
SIGNATURE
Signed
Documented signature variants of the artist: “MAX FREY” · “MAX-FREY” · “MAX-FREY. 1916.” · “MAX FREY 1939” · “Max Frey”
CONDITION
Overall condition: requires restoration. Detailed assessment based on the photos; further condition notes available on request.
Square watercolor depicting a kitchen scene: A single man stands in backlight before a window and holds a steaming pot over a stove. The composition is architecturally clear, with a central table and kitchen furniture. The coloring is warm, with strong light-shadow contrasts and atmospheric spatial effect. The paper shows evident water stains and foxing in the lower area, indicating moisture exposure and storage damage. The signature 'MAX-FREY' is independently and clearly executed in the lower left. The reverse is uninscribed. The depiction and technique correspond to early Modernism, with realistic but loose brushwork. Restoration is needed due to visible moisture damage.
PROVENANCE
empty
SHIPPING
Unframed shipping — flat or rolled, carefully packaged.
SOURCES AND VERIFICATION
Listed in: Bénézit, Dictionnaire des Peintres, Sculpteurs, Dessinateurs et Graveurs (Vol. 5, p. 707) · ISGV — Saxon Biography · Vollmer, Allgemeines Lexikon der Bildenden Künstler des XX. Jahrhunderts · Wikipedia (German).
Wikipedia: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Frey_(Maler,_1874)
Gold standard entry in the KODEX database (14 independent sources).
DOCUMENTATION
Provenance evidence (collection record, studio-dissolution context, collection documentation) available on request — 15 €.
Details
Artist
Max Frey (1874-1944)
Sold with frame
No
Sold by
Owner or reseller
Edition
Original
Title of artwork
Interieur mit Mann am Herd
Technique
Watercolour painting
Signature
Hand signed
Country of origin
Germany
Condition
Needs restoration
Height
28.3 cm
Width
28.4 cm
Weight
45 g
Depiction/theme
Interior scene
Style
Realism
Period
1910-1920
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