14 Works, Today, April 7th is artist Ferdinand Leeke’s day, his story, illustrated with footnotes #96

Leeke, Ferdinand, 1859 Burg/Magdeburg – 1923 Nuremberg
Dancing nymphs, c. 1923/25
Oil on canvas
86 x 134cm
Private collection

Ferdinand Leeke (1859–1923) was a German painter best known for his illustrations of Richard Wagner’s operas and other mythological scenes. Born on April 7, 1859 in Burg bei Magdeburg, Germany.

Around 1889 Siegfried Wagner, son of the composer Richard Wagner, commissioned Leeke to paint a series based on ten different operas written by his father (See below). These paintings were then reproduced as posters via six-color photogravure, which was a new and revolutionary process at the time…

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20 Works, Today, May 6th. is artist John Charles Dollman’s day, his story, illustrated with footnotes #125

John Charles Dollman (1851–1934)
The Ride of the Valkyries, c. 1908
Oil on canvas
111.8 x 182.9cm
Art Gallery of Western Australia

In Norse mythology, a valkyrie (from Old Norse valkyrja “chooser of the slain”) is one of a host of female figures who choose those who may die in battle and those who may live. Selecting among half of those who die in battle, the valkyries bring their chosen to the afterlife hall of the slain, Valhalla, ruled over by the god Odin. There, the deceased warriors become einherjar. When the einherjar are not preparing for the events of Ragnarök, the valkyries bear them mead. Valkyries also appear as lovers of heroes and other mortals, where they are sometimes described as the daughters of royalty, sometimes accompanied by ravens and sometimes connected to swans or horses. More on the Valkyrie

John Charles Dollman RWS RI ROI (6 May 1851–11 December 1934) was an English painter and illustrator…

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14 Works, Today, April 7th is artist Ferdinand Leeke’s day, his story, illustrated with footnotes #96

Leeke, Ferdinand, 1859 Burg/Magdeburg – 1923 Nuremberg
Dancing nymphs, c. 1923/25
Oil on canvas
86 x 134cm
Private collection

Ferdinand Leeke (1859–1923) was a German painter best known for his illustrations of Richard Wagner’s operas and other mythological scenes. Born on April 7, 1859 in Burg bei Magdeburg, Germany…

Please follow link for full post