August Rieper (1865-1940), Judith, ca. 1910

Oil on canvas, dated circa 1910, signed in lower left corner "A. Rieper", original label on back: "Aug. Rieper München - No. 729 "Judith". Condition: minor cracks, losses, old retouches. Frameless painting, dimensions approx. 94 x 126.5 cm

August Rieper (1865-1940) - German painter, draughtsman, lithographer and etcher, born in Hamburg, received his early art education at the Hamburg School of Applied Arts. From 1884, he studied at the Munich Academy, although he largely educated himself by studying the works of the old masters. Rieper gained recognition in the Munich art community, exhibiting his work at the Glaspalast in Munich, as well as in Hamburg, Vienna, Dresden and Berlin, among other places. His work was recognized by artists such as Rudolf von Seitz and Franz von Lenbach. He was a member of many prestigious art associations, including the Munich Association of Artists and the Reich Association of Artists in Germany.

Rieper was a versatile artist who created landscapes, interiors, portraits, nudes, still lifes and genre paintings. His works are characterized by classical composition and intense colors.

Description of the work: "Judith"
The painting "Judith" depicts a nude young woman with a rosary in her hair, sitting on an ottoman against a background of a red curtain and a mountainous landscape with a castle. The woman holds a large knife in her right hand, a reference to the biblical figure Judith, who killed the Assyrian commander Holofernes in the Old Testament. Rieper portrays Judith in a more erotic and sensual manner, which differs from traditional depictions of this figure. The model may have been the artist's wife, which gives the work an added dimension of intimacy. The painting, executed in impasto technique with broad brushstrokes, is signed in the lower left corner and dated around 1910.

Curiosities
Rieper was not only a renowned artist, but his works found buyers among such figures as Kaiser Wilhelm II and Archduke Franz Ferdinand, a testament to his reputation in the art world.

Sources: Thieme-Becker, Saur "Bio-Bibliographisches Künstlerlexikon", Bruckmann "Münchner Maler des 19./20. Jh.", "Der neue Rump", Müller-Singer, Ries, Matrikel der Münchner Akademie, Boetticher, Dressler and Wikipedia