(Click to Enlarge)
Gouache and Watercolor on Paper
16 1/2 x 11 1/4 inches
Signed F. Zerritsch lower left
Fine condition
21 1/2 x 18 1/2 inches framed behind glass
From a southside Chicago Chatham neighborhood estate
The landscape, animal, portrait, genre, muralist and graphic artist Fritz Zerritsch (1888 – 1985) is the son of the famous sculptor Fritz Zerritsch d.Ä. ( 1865 – 1938 ).
Zerritsch received his artistic education after one year at the painting school of Robert Scheffer (1859 – 1934) and from 1905 at the Academy of Fine Arts with Prof. Christian Griepenkerl (1839-1916).
From 1909 to 1910 he attended the special school of Prof. Alois Delug (1859 – 1930). This was followed in the summer and autumn of 1911 by a study visit to Munich, where he was particularly impressed by the works of his fellow artists Heinrich von Zügel (1850-1941), Fritz von Uhde 1848-1911 and Stanislaus von Kalckreuth (1820-1894).
His great affection was for the animal motif. In the early years, he still tended to emphasize the outline and stylization under the influence of the Munich period; later, a clear striving for abstraction can be seen. Especially in animal representations Zerritsch reduced cipher-like these to the essence of their genus.
In November 1911, Fritz Zerritsch exhibited for the first time in the Vienna Künstlerhaus . From 1914 he was a member of the Vienna Künstlerhaus and from 1964 honorary member. From then on there was an intensive exhibition activity at home and abroad, including the 1917 Austrian Exhibition in Nuremberg, 1925 international exhibitions in London and Budapest, 1927 International Art Exhibition in Buenos Aires in 1927, and the exhibition of German Contemporary Art in Nuremberg in 1928 , 1930 International Art Exhibition in Warsaw and Berne, 1934 and 1936 Biennale in Venice, 1935 World Exhibition in Brussels and 1937 World Exhibition in Paris. 1938 at the Great German Art Exhibition in Munich, 1939 at the Ostmark exhibition in Berlin.
In addition to paintings, prints and posters, Fritz Zerritsch also made tapestries, mosaics and frescoes. Many designs for stamps, such as a series from the Nibelungen saga, originate from him, too. He also designed banknotes for the Austrian National Bank.
In public space Fritz Märritsch dJ’s drawings from 1926 include fairy-tale paintings in the nursery school at Quarinhof, as well as a façade painting of St. Anne with St. Elizabeth in Mühlschüttelgasse in Vienna’s 21st district.
From 1938 onwards Fritz Zerritsch dJ worked as a teacher at the Vienna Graphic Arts and Research Institute.
Fritz Zerritsch dJ was a member of the professional association of visual artists Austria and as already mentioned in the Künstlerhaus and the Art Advisory Council of the City of Vienna.
His life’s work has been honored with numerous awards.
1917 and 1918 the Drasche price
1926 art prize of the city of Vienna
1928, 1930 and 1934 Austrian State Prize
1929 Golden Medal of Honor of the City of Vienna
1934 award of the professional title Professor
1935 Honorary Diploma of the Brussels World Fair
1953 Grand Golden Medal of Honor of the Wiener Künstlerhaus
1961 Österreichisches Ehrenkreuz für Wissenschaft und Kunst.
Heute befinden sich Werke des Künstlers u.a. in der Österreichischen Galerie im Belvedere, in der Albertina , dem Unterrichtsministerium in Wien, im Wien Museum am Karlsplatz und im Niederösterreichischen Landesmuseum.
Fritz Zerritsch ist in einem ehrenhalber gewidmeten Grabauf dem Grinzinger Friedhof (Gruppe 2, Nummer 41) bestattet.
Berthild Zierl
Präsientin der Berufsvereinigung der bildenden Künstler Österreichs
Landesverband Wien, NÖ, Bgld.
Zierlart.at
Quelle:
Archiv der Berufsvereinigung der bildenden Künstler Österreichs, Schloss Schönbrunn, Ovalstiege 40
Galerie bei der Albertina Zetter, Wien I
Österreichische Galerie Belvedere
museumdermoderne.at, (Museum der Moderne)