Insects (Beetles) – plate 15

Details

Literatur:
L’ŒIL. Revue d’Art Mensuelle, August-September 1968, mit Abb.

Ausstellung:
Mythos Tier. Das Tier in der Bildenden Kunst, Ausst.-Kat. Kunstverein Talstraße e.V., Kunsthalle, Matthias Rataiczyk und Christin Müller-Wenzel (Hrsg.), Halle/Saale 2014, S. 29, mir farb. Abb.;
Aloys Zötl. Bestiarien der eigenen Art, Ausst.-Kat. Galerie Haas, Zürich 2017, S 9 (ganzs. Farbabb.), S. 10f. (doppels. Detailfarbabb.).

Provenienz:
Privatsammlung, Paris;
Galerie Krugier & Cie, Genf;
Europäische Privatsammlung.

Description

Born into the animal and plant world of Upper Austria, Aloys Zötl was encouraged to draw by his father at an early age. His father had made two albums full of animal pictures based on classical models “for the amusement of his children”. Zötl completed his first bestiary of 200 animals while still a child. His fascination for nature and its inhabitants was to last a lifetime. In addition to his day job as a master dyer, he drew tirelessly on over 400 sheets, populated by exotic animals, dated to the day and bound in four albums. Zötl did not work in or after nature, but rather according to models and templates, such as the engravings in Georges Louis de Buffons’ “General Natural History”, the standard work in zoology at the time. In contrast to other artists, such as Maria Sibylla Merian, who traveled to Suriname to study nature, Zötl did not undertake any major travels. Here he collects 67 different species of beetles on a board, systematically lined up next to each other and numbered. He renders the many legs and the delicately patterned shells with particular attention to detail. – Slightly yellowed within the mat opening. Some minor, barely noticable brown stains. The margins partially soiled. In good condition.