Karl Knappe
Heiliger Christophorus
1934
Wood sculpture, carved and partly painted in colour; with a small golden cross made of metal elements attached on top Height 47.5 cm. Mounted on an untouched round piece of wood (height 20 cm, diameter approx. 15.2 cm) Signed and dated (engraved) 'Knappe. 1934' on the back. - In fine condition, except for a few minuscule bumps. - The base with a crack.
The South German sculptor, professor and lecturer at the Technische Hochschule in Munich and already well known in the 1920s, was banned from his profession in 1933. His bronze "Hagar" from 1923, shown in 1937 as 'degenerate art' and missing since then, was unearthed 2010 among the sculptures discovered during construction works for the underground in front of the town hall ("Rotes Rathaus") in Berlin.
Certificate
We would like to thank Rainer Beck, Coswig, for kind information confirming the authenticity. The catalogue raisonné of Karl Knappe is under current preparation.
Provenance
Rhenish private collection, family possession
Literature
Concerning artist (with biography and selected works) see: Rainer Beck, Wand - Zum Denken und Werk von Karl Knappe, in: exhib. cat. Figur im Holz, Das Frühwerk von Josef Rikus und sein Lehrer Karl Knappe, Diözesanmuseum Paderborn 2000, pp. 65 ff. and pp. 178 ff.