"Impressionist Cityscape by Otto Dill"

(1884 Neustadt an der Haardt – 1957 Bad Dürkheim) "Notre-Dame." Original title: "View from a Bustling Square of the Famous Western Facade of the Gothic Cathedral in Paris." A rare, impressionistic, nostalgically charming cityscape by Otto Dill from 1948, painted with virtuoso, free brushwork. This view combines one of his favorite motifs—an elegant horse-drawn carriage that draws the viewer in and contrasts with the modern automobiles in the background. Like the Berlin Impressionist Lesser Ury, Otto Dill also creates a metropolitan scene that fully corresponds to the lively atmosphere with its shimmering lights and dynamic, impulsive brushwork. Otto Dill studied from 1908 to 1914 at the Munich Academy and from 1909 to 1913 was a student of the animal painter Heinrich von Zügel, who also introduced him to plein air painting and Impressionism. The depiction of horses and riders, whether in races, tournaments, or carriage teams, is one of the central themes in Otto Dill’s work, alongside lions and other big cats. As early as the summer of 1917, Dill presented his first rather extensive collection of 10 oil paintings and 15 drawings at an exhibition in the Munich Glass Palace. As a member of the Munich section, he participated in various exhibitions of the art society from 1922 to 1930. In 1924, he was awarded the title of professor, and in 1949 he was appointed an honorary member of the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich. In 1930, the artist moved from Munich to Neustadt an der Weinstrasse, and in 1941 he moved to Bad Dürkheim, where he lived and worked until his death in 1957. Alongside Max Slevogt, Otto Dill is today considered one of the most important artists of classical modernism from the Palatinate. Oil/wood panel. Signed. On the reverse is a large attached cotton tag with embroidered property information and the number 103, created by Emmy Dorothea Dill (1886–1967), the artist’s widow, as well as two property labels, one with the title and date 1952. 70 cm x 100 cm. Framed. Literature: Memorial exhibition catalog for the 20th anniversary of Otto Dill’s death, "Otto Dill: Paintings and Graphics," Pfalzgalerie Kaiserslautern 1977, No. 158 (with illustration). Provenance: Artist’s estate; Emmy Dorothea Dill (1886–1967); Kunsthaus Bühler, Stuttgart; German private collection, Rhineland-Palatinate. Oil on plywood. Signed. On the reverse is an attached embroidered cotton property tag from the artist’s widow, Emmy Dorothea Dill (1886–1967), additionally named and dated 1948 on two gallery tags from Kunsthaus Bühler, Stuttgart.