“Enten” [Ducks], painting by Alexander Max Koester (1864-1932)
At first, I thought these were swans but a closer look, plus the title, identified them as ducks. This is an unused color postcard featuring an oil painting by Alexander Max Koester. The identifying code: SC 13026 is found at the lower left corner on the reverse. There is also a blurb at the upper right corner on the reverse: Charles and Emma Frye Art Museum, Terry at Cherry, Seattle, Washington. “Enten” (Ducks) (oil) is by Alexander Max Koester (pronounced Case-t’r) (German: 1864-1932). In the Frye Collection of 230 European and American paintings, emphasis is on Vienna and Munich masters of the nineteenth century.”
Koester was a German landscape and animal painter who specialized in scenes with ducks. His parents wanted him to take an apprenticeship in pharmacy which he did; however, after completing his training there he chose to enroll in the Academy of Fine Arts, Karlsruhe, where he studied with Karl Hoff and Claus Meyer. While an art student he supported himself by painting portraits.
In 1893 Koester married Isabella Kantioler. Isabella’s father had a colony of ducks and Koester became interested in them. He began learning about them including studying their anatomy and behavior. He became an expert on duck breeds and breeding while at the same time painting portraits of them. His paintings became very popular. Even though he was offered a position at the art school in Darmstadt he declined preferring to do free-lance work instead. Most of his works are in private collections.
For additional information, see:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Max_Koester
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