Otto Dill
1884 - 1957
Reit- und Fahrturnier. Wohl um 1950.
Oil on canvas.
Signed lower right. Titled and inscribed “No. 1207” on the stretcher with the stamped artist's address and a typographically inscribed artist's label. 50.5 x 60 cm (19.8 x 23.6 in). [EH].

PROVENANCE: Kunsthaus Bühler (with a label on the stretcher).
Private collection, Baden-Württemberg.

In addition to his ability to quickly capture what he sees, which he records with a technique inspired by Impressionism's looseness, Otto Dill is also a particularly gifted portrayer of human and animal movement. The fleeting nature of his brushwork supports the visual impression of movement without compromising the unity of the overall composition. From 1908 to 1914, Dill studied painting at the Munich Academy and became a master student of Heinrich von Zügel, in whose animal class he initially focused on depicting exotic animals. By the summer of 1917, the artist was already represented in an exhibition at Munich's Glaspalast with his racing scenes. As a member of the Munich Secession, he participated in the association's exhibitions in 1922 and was awarded the title of professor in 1924. In his composition, he focuses on the four-in-hand carriage, which rushes diagonally through the scene with remarkable dynamism. The loosely sketched teams and crowds of spectators in the background convey excitement, speed, and tension. Otto Dill thus succeeds in creating an excellent depiction of the tournament atmosphere.

In very good condition. The condition report was prepared in daylight and with the aid of a UV light source to the best of our knowledge and belief.