Ferdinand Max Bredt (German, 1868-1921)
PROPERTY FROM THE COLLECTION OF LAUREL BLOSSOM
Ferdinand Max Bredt (German, 1868-1921)

Selbstbewusst

Details
Ferdinand Max Bredt (German, 1868-1921)
Selbstbewusst
signed and dated 'F. M. Bredt/09.' (upper left); inscribed 'F. M. Bredt. Selbstbewusst' (on the reverse)
oil on canvas
35 5/8 x 29 5/8 in. (90.5 x 73.7 cm.)
Provenance
with Kunstsalon Emil Richter, Dresden, before 1930.
with Custer Antique Investment Company, Toledo, OH, before 1972.
Acquired directly from the above by the present owner, circa 1972.

Lot Essay

Ferdinand Max Bredt was regarded as one of Germany's foremost Orientalist painters in the 19th century. He travelled extensively in Greece, Turkey and Tunisia, recording his journeys on canvas and illustrating the everyday life of the oriental harem and its inhabitants. Like many of his peers, the artist made use of authentic artifacts to lend an aura of reality to what might be regarded as otherwise fantastical scenes. As a precise draftsman, Bredt had a keen eye for detail which enabled him to capture the intricacies of the local architecture with beauty and grace, before placing his naturalistically styled figures in the foreground. His works often depict the everyday life in the harem and its inhabitants -- luxuriant scenes graced by richly attired odalisques. Alternatively, he depicted women in interiors and even when not Orientalist in theme, his paintings exude exoticism and mystery.
The present painting, entitled Selbstbewusst, is a celebration of female strength. The inclusion of the peacock reinforces this connotation, as this beautiful bird conveys myriad meanings: in Graeco-Roman mythology it is the symbol of Hera (Juno), Queen of the Gods, Protector of Women and Goddess of the Hearth and Childbirth. As a logical extension, the peacock denotes female confidence and with the eyes of Argus decorating its lavish tail it also connotes the vault of heaven, another reference to the celestial realm. The peacock was also associated with the courts of the Middle East, and Bredt would have been exposed to this imagery in his travels through the area.
Bredt’s female subject in the present work is the personification of Selbstbewusstein, which goes a step beyond confidence. The exotically attired and crowned figure sits enthroned, completely dominating the picture plane. She gazes outward and engages the viewer, almost confrontationally. The peacock sits at her feet, his neck turned outward and he, too, gazes directly at the viewer. The entire scene is executed in jewel-like tones which gleam in the half-light streaming in from the arched windows. The tapestries in the background are decorated in the Turkish style, a reference to the artist’s travels.
Well-known in his lifetime, two of Bredt’s paintings were chosen to represent his native Germany at the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893.

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