Lot 69: Theodor Baierl (1881-1932) Saint John the Baptist,

Theodor Baierl (1881-1932) Saint John the Baptist, Circa 1920 Oil on panel Signed lower right 60cm x 27cm Provenance: Bruno Baierl, the artist's son; given in lieu of funds borrowed to J. H. Hopwood 1939-39 By descent in the family Purchased directly from the family in 1998 Literature: Richard Braungart, Theodor Baierl, Die Kunst fur Alle, number 39 1923/4, pages 166-173 Theodor Baierl received regular commissions from the church for frescoes, altar paintings and Stations of the Cross in numerous South German towns. He also received a number of private commissions; for example an altar triptych for the family home of Oskar von Miller at Lake Starnberd. When the church commissions ceased during the First World War, Baierl was able to devote more time to painting. Saint John the Baptist is painted very much in the traditions of fifteenth and sixteenth century. The landscape is Italianate and Saint John himself is posed in the traditional Renaissance serpentine form, holding a lamb and bearing a simple cross. The composition is simple and the earthly colours enhance the overall tenderness of the image and the Saint's embrace.

Panel warped left to right, Minor retouching visible under UV light