Robert Engels, Le Passant, 1898, Lithograph on Paper

Details

Description

Robert engels (1866-1926)

le passant
(the wayfarer)

original lithograph from the glorious portfolio "l'estampe moderne", issue #11 (march … Read more Robert engels (1866-1926)

le passant
(the wayfarer)

original lithograph from the glorious portfolio "l'estampe moderne", issue #11 (march 1898)

on wove paper

year: 1898

size (sheet): 405 x 305 mm

signed in the plate "robert engels", lower left

blind stamp of the publisher, lower right

excellent condition: minor signs of age and handling
full margins (not cropped, not trimmed)
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about the collection (l'estampe moderne)

l'estampe moderne appeared in 1897-1899 as a series of 24 monthly fascicles, each containing 4 original lithographs, printed by parisian imprimerie champenois. Many accomplished european art nouveau painters contributed works to this publication, which contained only original prints invented and produced especially for this collection. The publication was edited by charles masson and h. Piazza. Each issue came in a paper cover bearing an original lithograph by alphonse mucha.
each lithograph was accompanied by a tissue containing the details (title of the artwork, name of the artist, etc.) and a short text by a well-known author who inspired the artist.
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the artist

robert engels was a german painter, illustrator, and designer whose career flourished within the vibrant artistic circles of munich during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Born in solingen, he initially trained for the family steel business but soon abandoned commerce for the kunstakademie düsseldorf. After traveling extensively through france and england, he settled in munich, where he became a prominent contributor to the influential magazine jugend. His work there helped define the visual identity of the jugendstil movement, blending graphic precision with a soulful, decorative sensibility.

engels was a versatile creator, moving seamlessly between oil painting, lithography, and stained-glass design. He is particularly remembered for his evocative illustrations of joseph bédier’s tristan and iseult, where his style captured the romantic and melancholic atmosphere of the medieval legend. As a professor at the munich school of applied arts, he mentored a new generation of artists, emphasizing the harmony between fine art and craftsmanship.

his depictions of women often possessed a poetic, narrative quality. In works like le passant (the wayfarer), he portrayed women with a sense of quiet introspection, often set against moody, atmospheric landscapes. Whether depicting mythological figures or contemporary subjects, engels imbued his female characters with a dignified, slightly enigmatic presence. His ability to combine the delicate grace of the belle époque with the bold, rhythmic lines of modern design remains the hallmark of his artistic legacy.
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from the text on the tissue paper:

que tout se fasse calme en nous:
un inconnu va venir peut-être
qui frappera de son bâton de houx
le seuil où, de loin, il aura vu naître
une petite lumière humble\.

heureusement les feuilles fanées
eteindront les pas de sa venue,
et le vent hurlera si fort
qu'il taira sa voix, étonné
de n'éveiller pas les hôtes d'ici!

pour nous, joignons nos lèvres et nos mains!
au bruit des baisers
etouffons le bruit des pas étrangers,
et qu'à peine éteint
le feu rallumé
de son crépitement étouffe le chant
de ce grave passant
venu vers nous à travers la forêt\.

vois : il a cru que nous étions endormis
parce que nous n'avons pas répondu.
et entends-le au loin s'en aller
avec sa faux cognant les arbres,
avec sa faux de fer battu
cognant au loin les arbres
a travers les allées!

il est loin, il est très loin, n'est-ce pas?
et nous sommes encore là, toi et moi;
personne n'a pu délier nos doigts,
et la vieille faux, la faux là-bas,
oh ! entends-la,
elle s'éloigne à travers bois,
loin de nos cœurs et de nous deux\.
prions un peu\.

edmond pilon

english translation:

let everything become calm within us:
a stranger will come, perhaps,
who will strike with his staff of holly
the threshold where, from afar, he saw the birth
of a small, humble light\.

fortunately, the withered leaves
will muffle the steps of his arrival,
and the wind will howl so loudly
that he will hold his voice, astonished
at not waking the hosts of this place!

for our part, let us join our lips and our hands!
with the sound of kisses
let us stifle the sound of foreign footsteps,
and let the barely extinguished
relit fire,
with its crackling, stifle the song
of this solemn passerby
who came toward us through the forest\.

see: he believed that we were asleep
because we did not answer.
and hear him in the distance, going away
with his scythe knocking against the trees,
with his scythe of beaten iron
knocking in the distance against the trees
across the pathways!

he is far, he is very far, is he not?
and we are still here, you and i;
no one has been able to untwine our fingers,
and the old scythe, the scythe over there,
oh! hear it,
it moves away through the woods,
far from our hearts and from the two of us\.
let us pray a little\.

edmond pilon
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important:

. The listing is for the original print, in the above mentioned excellent condition.
. The original tissue paper introduction will be given to the buyer as a gift
. The cover by mucha and the edition (back of the cover) are shown as a reference and proof of authenticity and edition this piece has an attribution mark,
i am sure that it is completely authentic and take full responsibility for any authenticity
issues arising from misattribution See less