Walter Becker, Ink Drawing Menagerie, 1920, Ink and Handmade Paper

Walter Becker
1893 Essen – 1984 Tutzing

'Menagerie with Mythical Creatures (probably an illustration for "Gargantua and Pantagruel" by François Rabelais)'
unsigned, [circa 1920-25]
ink on laid paper ---unframed---
Size: 10.9 x 20.2 cm

Provenance:

1) circa 1975-80, from the artist to the Ettlingen Castle Museum [regarding this, the verso, lower right, bears the collection stamp of the "Karl Albiker Foundation, Ettlingen," and below it the handwritten inventory number 544]
Around 1975, the Ettlingen Museum Society planned a large permanent exhibition of Walter Becker's work in the rooms of Ettlingen Castle. As a result, the artist donated a large portion of his works there. The works on paper were then generally stamped with the Karl Albiker Foundation's stamp.

2) Around 1985, from 1) back to the artist's estate

Since the planned permanent exhibition did not materialize, the objects (including the present ink drawing) were returned from Ettlingen. This drawing has remained in Walter Becker's estate ever since.

____________________________

Walter Becker
Painter, draftsman, graphic artist, art teacher.


1910-13 Evening classes at the Essen School of Applied Arts
Training as a commercial artist
Formative acquaintance with Karl Albiker
1915-18 Studies at the Karlsruhe Academy of Fine Arts (under Walter Conz)
After the First World War, Becker became known primarily as an illustrator (illustrations for, among others, Jean Paul, E.T.A. Hoffmann, and Nikolai Gogol)
1919-22 Designs for the Karlsruhe Majolica Manufactory
1922-23 Studies at the Dresden Academy of Fine Arts, ultimately a master student of Karl Albiker
November 1923 Marriage to Yvonne von König (daughter of the painter Mathilde Tardif and adopted daughter of Leo von König)
1924-35 Residence in southern France (Cassis-sur-Mer), where he became acquainted with, among others, Georges Braque, Jules Pascin, Erika and Klaus Mann, and Thomas Mann
1935 Return to Germany
1937 Several works were exhibited at the Confiscated during the "Degenerate Art" campaign

1941 Appointed professor at the Karlsruhe Academy of Fine Arts, but before he could take up his post, his studio was sealed and he was forced to withdraw from the contract
1951-58 Teacher at the Karlsruhe Academy of Fine Arts
1952 Appointed professor
1957 Death of his wife Yvonne
1958 Moved to Tutzing
1968 Progressive impairment of his eyesight
1974 Moved to a retirement home in Dießen am Ammersee
from 1976 onwards, renewed peak of creativity

Memberships:

1919-20 Karlsruhe, Rih Group

(at the latest) 1928-36 and 1957-67 German Artists' Association
1954-56 Palatinate Secession

Awards:

1931 1st Art Prize of the City of Hanover for the portrait of Marcel Sauvage

1952 1st Prize Winner of the International Graphic Arts Guild, Paris

Collections:

Museum of Contemporary Art – Hurrle Collection, Durbach
Kunsthalle Emden – Henri Nannen Collection
Municipal Gallery Bietigheim-Bissingen
Museum Folkwang, Essen
Municipal Gallery Ettlingen
State Art Gallery Karlsruhe
Augustinermuseum, Freiburg
Sprengel Museum Hannover
Würth Art Gallery, Schwäbisch Hall
University Museum, Marburg
Kunsthalle Schweinfurt