Lot 864: WILLMANN Michael Lukas Leopold 27. 9. 1630

WILLMANN Michael Lukas Leopold 27. 9. 1630 Konigsberg - 26. 8. 1706 Leubus) Christ on the Mount of Olives Oil on canvas, 52 x 55 cm, framed, undated [last third of the 17th century], unsigned, relined, expertise by Mgr. Vl. Rislink. Both the brushwork and entire style of the painting fully correspond to the character of Willmann's work created after the year 1660 for the Cistercian monastery in Lubiaz and other religious institutions in Lower Silesia. It is important to compare mainly the painting "Jacob's dream" from the collection of Staatliche Museen - Preu_ischer Kulturbesitz in Berlin and "Landscape with Saint John the Baptist" from the collection of Muzeum Narodowe in Wroclaw, where the sacral scene is also set in a landscape. The kneeling figure of Christ reflects resemblance with the drawing of Saint Matthew from the collection of Germanisches Nationalmuseum in Nuremberg. German painter, significant figure of Baroque painting, step father and teacher of J. K. Liska. He went to the Netherlands where he became influenced by Rembrand, Rubens, Van Dycke and Dutch landscape painters. He also worked in Prague, Wroclaw and Berlin on commissions by religious orders, e.g. the Cistercian Order. Around 1653 he left Prague to work in Berlin for the Elector Friedrich Wilhelm. He is known for his paintings of mythological themes, landscapes, portraits and fresco paintings. His paintings reflect his characteristic expressive style influenced by counterreformation exaltation and mysticism, and also by his conversion to Catholicism and his stay in the Cistercian monastery in Libus. He was concerned with themes related to martyrdom, death, sacrifice and inner love reflected in his paintings of the Holy Family. He had a great influence on e.g. P. J. Brandl and V. V. Reiner. There are works by him in e.g. the Cistercian monastery in Zdar nad Sazavou, in Prague, in Sedlec near Kutna Hora and in the Cistercian monastery in Velehrad. See T 2/704, TB 36/32, B 10/747. -P-