The greeting of the wind and waves

Benes Knupfer, a student of Karl von Piloty in Munich, started his career painting history pictures. He moved away from these subjects during his stay in Italy in 1880, where he became fascinated by the light and reflections on the water. Knupfer is now known as a painter of the sea which carries allegorical and symbolical meanings. The sea, an important theme in the neoromantic and later also in the symbolist movement, is, as in the works by Boecklin, invaded by mythological figures. Nymphs, Tritons and Sirens are part of the play of the waves in stormy seas, the erotic impulses being in harmony with the forces of Nature.

In comparison to his contemporaries (Gabriel von Max working in the same pictorial league) Knupfer's works certainly display more impressionist and symbolist influence than the traditional rendering of light and bright colours.