Study of heads and hands

Details

PHILIPP OTTO RUNGE (WOLGAST 1777-1810 HAMBURG)
Study of heads and hands
inscribed by the artist's brother 'PO Runge' (lower left)
black chalk, heightened with white, on light brown paper
10 x 15 in. (25 x 38 cm.)

Provenance

Carl Heumann (1886-1945), Chemnitz (L. 2841a).
Gustav Stein (1903-1979), Cologne.
Anonymous sale; Karl and Faber, Munich, 6-7 June 1968, lot 355.
Anonymous sale; Hauswedell & Nolte, Hamburg, 13 June 1992, lot 233.

Literature

J. Traeger, Philipp Otto Runge und sein Werk, Munich, 1975, no. 144, ill.

Conditions of sale

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Lot Essay

In 1800 Otto Runge recounted to his brother Karl about a hiking trip through Zealand (Denmark), which he undertook with his fellow student at the Copenhagen Academy, August Bohndel, and with a merchant who showed the friends the route. During the trip Runge wrote a detailed travelogue and made accompanying drawings. The present drawing with studies of heads and hands was made during the trip. Other sheets with similar figures also survive (Traeger, op. cit., nos. 134-144, ill.).

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