Josef Madlener: Difference between revisions
mNo edit summary |
mNo edit summary |
||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
[[Image:Der Berggeist (Origin of Gandalf) by J. Madelener.gif|thumb|''Der Berggeist'' by Josef Madlener.]] | [[Image:Der Berggeist (Origin of Gandalf) by J. Madelener.gif|thumb|''Der Berggeist'' by Josef Madlener.]] | ||
'''Josef Madlener''' ([[April 16]], [[1881]]– [[December 27]], [[1967]]) was a German artist and poet. | |||
== Biography == | |||
Josef Madlener, born as a farmer's son in the Bavarian village Amending (today a district of [[wikipedia:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memmingen|Memmingen]]), attended a School of Art and Applied arts. Later he studied at the [[wikipedia:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academy_of_Fine_Arts_Munich|Academy of Fine Arts]] in Munich. | |||
His pictures oftenly shows folksy or religious scenes. His style was impressionistic and in the same way symbolic, too. His works were published in several newspapers and magazines. He wrote some Christmas stories for children. Madleners Christmas pictures were published in post card series, too. | |||
Josef Madlener had one known daughter, named Julie Madlener ([[1910]]– [[1999]])<ref>[http://www.buchhandel.de/detailansicht.aspx?isbn=978-3-930323-69-2 Biographical data in a brief description of ''Das goldene Buch''] (German)</ref>. | |||
== Origin of Gandalf == | |||
In [[1935]] the Bavarian fine art publisher F.A. Ackermann published a series of post cards under the title ''Sagen und Märchen'' (Legends and Fairy tales). The series contained six reproductions of folkloristic paintings: | |||
* ''Der Frühling'' (The Spring), | |||
* ''Die Bergfee'' (The Mountain-fairy), | |||
* ''[[wikipedia:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R%C3%BCbezahl|Rübezahl]]'', | |||
* ''Waldmärchen'' (Forest fairy tales), | |||
* ''[[wikipedia:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hubertus|Hubertushirsch]]'' (Saint Hubert's Hart) | |||
and finally the reproduction of ''[[Der Berggeist]]'' (The Mountain-spirit), that inspired [[J.R.R. Tolkien]] to create the character of [[Gandalf]] the [[Wizards|wizard]]. | |||
[[Humphrey Carpenter]] tells in his [[J.R.R. Tolkien: A Biography|Biography of the author]], that Tolkien keeped this post card safe and later wrote 'Origin of Gandalf' on the card's envelope. | |||
Though Carpenter speculates, that Tolkien bought the post card already in his summer holidays [[1911]], when he was in Switzerland. This speculation is incorrect, because the post card version of ''Der Berggeist'' was published first in 1935. In an interview the daughter of the artist gives the painting's date of origin as the middle or end of the nineteen twenties. | |||
The american magazine [[Mythlore]] published the article ''The Origin of Gandalf and Josef Madlener'' by [[Manfred Zimmermann]] in [[1983]]. | |||
The original painting came to America after World War II, where it was later rediscovered. In [[2005]] it was sold at Sotheby's for 84.000 pounds. | |||
== Notes == | |||
<references/> | |||
== External Links == | |||
* [http://www.memmingen.de/76.html Collection of the MEWO Kunsthalle Memmingen] (German) | |||
* [http://www.openpr.de/news/124016.html Article ''Josef Madlener: Maler der schwäbischen Weihnacht''] (German) | |||
== References == | |||
* [[Humphrey Carpenter]]: [[J.R.R. Tolkien: A Biography]]. | |||
* [[Douglas A. Anderson]]: [[The Annotated Hobbit|The Annotated Hobbit: Revised and Expended Edition]]. | |||
** Chapter I: ''An unexpected Party'' (p. 38f.). | |||
[[Category:Artists|Madlener, Josef]] | [[Category:Artists|Madlener, Josef]] | ||
[[de:Josef Madlener]] | [[de:Josef Madlener]] | ||
Revision as of 09:18, 16 June 2010
Josef Madlener (April 16, 1881– December 27, 1967) was a German artist and poet.
Biography
Josef Madlener, born as a farmer's son in the Bavarian village Amending (today a district of Memmingen), attended a School of Art and Applied arts. Later he studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich.
His pictures oftenly shows folksy or religious scenes. His style was impressionistic and in the same way symbolic, too. His works were published in several newspapers and magazines. He wrote some Christmas stories for children. Madleners Christmas pictures were published in post card series, too.
Josef Madlener had one known daughter, named Julie Madlener (1910– 1999)[1].
Origin of Gandalf
In 1935 the Bavarian fine art publisher F.A. Ackermann published a series of post cards under the title Sagen und Märchen (Legends and Fairy tales). The series contained six reproductions of folkloristic paintings:
- Der Frühling (The Spring),
- Die Bergfee (The Mountain-fairy),
- Rübezahl,
- Waldmärchen (Forest fairy tales),
- Hubertushirsch (Saint Hubert's Hart)
and finally the reproduction of Der Berggeist (The Mountain-spirit), that inspired J.R.R. Tolkien to create the character of Gandalf the wizard.
Humphrey Carpenter tells in his Biography of the author, that Tolkien keeped this post card safe and later wrote 'Origin of Gandalf' on the card's envelope.
Though Carpenter speculates, that Tolkien bought the post card already in his summer holidays 1911, when he was in Switzerland. This speculation is incorrect, because the post card version of Der Berggeist was published first in 1935. In an interview the daughter of the artist gives the painting's date of origin as the middle or end of the nineteen twenties.
The american magazine Mythlore published the article The Origin of Gandalf and Josef Madlener by Manfred Zimmermann in 1983.
The original painting came to America after World War II, where it was later rediscovered. In 2005 it was sold at Sotheby's for 84.000 pounds.
Notes
External Links
- Collection of the MEWO Kunsthalle Memmingen (German)
- Article Josef Madlener: Maler der schwäbischen Weihnacht (German)
References
- Humphrey Carpenter: J.R.R. Tolkien: A Biography.
- Douglas A. Anderson: The Annotated Hobbit: Revised and Expended Edition.
- Chapter I: An unexpected Party (p. 38f.).
_by_J._Madelener.gif){kind=link}