Oil on cradled panel
Germany, 19th Century
Ludwig Knaus (1829-1910) attributed - German painter
Gilded stucco frame
Overall dimensions, with frame: 51.5 x 59 cm
Provenance: Swiss private collection, formerly Milwaukee Art Center Collection (label dated 1985 on the frame)
Ludwig Knaus, a student of Wilhelm von Schadow, was a successful portraitist already during his lifetime. In addition, he devoted himself to peasant depictions, responding to the taste of the time

The present painting depicting children playing cards in an humble interior is attributed to the German painter Ludwig Knaus. In the 19th century, representations of peasant scenes were very popular. In this work, the painter gives evidence of his great skill in portraiture, especially in the girl’s face, characterized by a great expressive power.



The painting shows some wear, but is generally well presented with beautiful fresh colors. The paint surface shows scattered small paint losses and slight framing marks. Inspection under UV light reveals scattered small areas of retouching. The gilded stucco frame shows dryness cracks and restorations. On the back is a label of the Milwaukee Art Center Collection (1985) with the name of the donor (Von Schleinitz Foundation). The overall dimensions, with frame, are 51.5 x 59 cm. The panel measures 36.5 x 42.2 cm.

Ludwig Knaus (1829-1910)

Ludwig Knaus is considered one of the most successful painters in Wiesbaden in the 19th century. He mainly painted portraits and genre scenes. Knaus received his first artistic training with the court painter Otto Reinhold Jacobi. In 1845, he went to the Dusseldorf Art Academy. Along with Anselm Feuerbach, he became a pupil of Karl Ferdinand Sohn and Wilhelm von Schadow. In 1848, he started his own business as a portraitist in Dusseldorf. In 1853, he exhibited at the Paris Salon. He traveled to Barbizon and the Netherlands. Other trips followed, mainly to England, Germany and Italy. From 1874, Berlin was his permanent residence. Today, works by Ludwig Knaus are on display in major museum collections, such as the Hermitage in St. Petersburg, and the Musée d'Orsay in Paris.