Lovers Surprised by Death
- Date
- 1510
- Material
- Chiaroscuro woodcut
- printed in
- Augsburg, Bavaria state, Germany, Europe
- Classification
- Prints
- Collection
- Prints, Drawings, and Photographs
- Current Location
- Not on view
- Dimensions
- image: 8 3/8 in. x 6 in. (21.3 x 15.2 cm)
sheet (trimmed): 8 3/8 x 6 in. (21.3 x 15.2 cm)
framed: 20 3/8 x 15 3/8 in. (51.8 x 39.1 cm) - Credit Line
- Friends Endowment Fund and the Julian and Hope Edison Print Fund
- Rights
- Public Domain
- Object Number
- 219:1995
NOTES
In this print Hans Burgkmair portrays an emaciated figure of Death preparing to rip out the living soul of a young soldier. At the same time, Death catches the skirt of a fleeing maiden in his teeth. The costumes of the couple, the wings of death, and the design of the architecture are inspired by classical art, while the gondola, canal, and wide chimney pots evoke the city of Venice. Burgkmair played a decisive role in German Renaissance art. Lovers Surprised by Death is justifiably his most famous print, partially because it is the earliest dated example of a color woodcut to be composed of three, rather than two, blocks.
Provenance
- 1864
Eugen-Alexander Chilpin, Munich, Germany [1]
1864/06/04 - still in 1932
Graf Ludwig Yorck von Wartenburg (1805-1865), Klein Oels, Poland, purchased at sale of Chilpin Collection, Mailinger, Munich, Germany, May 30 - June 4, 1864; Paul Yorck von Wartenburg (1835-1897), Klein-Oels, Poland, by inheritance; Heinrich Yorck von Wartenburg, by inheritance; his family, by inheritance [2]
1932/05/02
In sale of Graf Ludwig Yorck von Wartenburg Collection, C.G. Boerner, Leipzig, Germany, May 2-3, 1932, lot no. 306 [3]
1948/11/26 -
Albert W. Blum (1882-1952), Zurich, Switzerland and Short Hills, NJ, USA, purchased at "Master Engravings," Gutekunst & Klipstein, Bern, Switzerland, November 26, 1948, lot no. 140 [4]
Laube Collection, Zurich, Switzerland, purchased from Albert W. Blum [5]
1985 -
Dr. Otto Schäfer, Schweinfurt, Germany [6]
- 1995
Kunsthandlung Helmut R. Rumbler, Frankfurt am Main, Germany [7]
1995 -
Saint Louis Art Museum, purchased from Kunsthandlung Helmut R. Rumbler [8]
Notes:
The main source for this provenance is the curatorial worksheet signed by Saint Louis Art Museum curator Olivia Lahs-Gonzalez and dated May 20, 1996 [SLAM document files]. Exceptions and other supporting documents are noted.
[1] An invoice from Helmut H. Rumbler, the dealer that sold the woodcut to the Museum, delineates the earliest known provenance [dated November 2, 1995, SLAM document files]. A 1932 sale catalogue also names Chilpin as the previous owner ["Die Sammlung Graf Yorck von Wartenburg." C.G. Boerner, Leipzig, May 2-3, 1932, lot no. 306].
[2] See note [1]. Wartenburg's collector's stamp is on the verso of the impression [Lugt, Frits. "Les marques de collections de dessins & d'estampes." Supplement. The Hague: M. Nijhoff, 1956, 2669]. He reportedly purchased the work from the Chilpin auction [undated information sheet, SLAM document files]. In 1932, the print was included in a sale of the Wartenburg collection ["Die Sammlung Graf Yorck von Wartenburg." C.G. Boerner, Leipzig, May 2-3, 1932, lot no. 306].
[3] See Wartenburg sale catalogue cited in note [2]. According to the Helmut H. Rumbler invoice, the work was offered for sale but not sold.
[4] See note [1]. This print was included in the catalogue for a 1948 auction ["Master Engravings." Gutekunst & Klipstein, Bern, November 26, 1948, lot no. 140]. Blum's collector's mark appears on the verso of the impression [Lugt, Frits. "Les marques de collections de dessins & d'estampes." Supplement. The Hague: M. Nijhoff, 1956, 79b].
[5] A letter from Helmut H. Rumbler dated November 17, 1995 describes the late provenance of the work [SLAM document files].
[6] See note [5].
[7] See note [5].
[8] Minutes of the Collections Committee of the Board of Trustees, Saint Louis Art Museum, December 15, 1995.
Eugen-Alexander Chilpin, Munich, Germany [1]
1864/06/04 - still in 1932
Graf Ludwig Yorck von Wartenburg (1805-1865), Klein Oels, Poland, purchased at sale of Chilpin Collection, Mailinger, Munich, Germany, May 30 - June 4, 1864; Paul Yorck von Wartenburg (1835-1897), Klein-Oels, Poland, by inheritance; Heinrich Yorck von Wartenburg, by inheritance; his family, by inheritance [2]
1932/05/02
In sale of Graf Ludwig Yorck von Wartenburg Collection, C.G. Boerner, Leipzig, Germany, May 2-3, 1932, lot no. 306 [3]
1948/11/26 -
Albert W. Blum (1882-1952), Zurich, Switzerland and Short Hills, NJ, USA, purchased at "Master Engravings," Gutekunst & Klipstein, Bern, Switzerland, November 26, 1948, lot no. 140 [4]
Laube Collection, Zurich, Switzerland, purchased from Albert W. Blum [5]
1985 -
Dr. Otto Schäfer, Schweinfurt, Germany [6]
- 1995
Kunsthandlung Helmut R. Rumbler, Frankfurt am Main, Germany [7]
1995 -
Saint Louis Art Museum, purchased from Kunsthandlung Helmut R. Rumbler [8]
Notes:
The main source for this provenance is the curatorial worksheet signed by Saint Louis Art Museum curator Olivia Lahs-Gonzalez and dated May 20, 1996 [SLAM document files]. Exceptions and other supporting documents are noted.
[1] An invoice from Helmut H. Rumbler, the dealer that sold the woodcut to the Museum, delineates the earliest known provenance [dated November 2, 1995, SLAM document files]. A 1932 sale catalogue also names Chilpin as the previous owner ["Die Sammlung Graf Yorck von Wartenburg." C.G. Boerner, Leipzig, May 2-3, 1932, lot no. 306].
[2] See note [1]. Wartenburg's collector's stamp is on the verso of the impression [Lugt, Frits. "Les marques de collections de dessins & d'estampes." Supplement. The Hague: M. Nijhoff, 1956, 2669]. He reportedly purchased the work from the Chilpin auction [undated information sheet, SLAM document files]. In 1932, the print was included in a sale of the Wartenburg collection ["Die Sammlung Graf Yorck von Wartenburg." C.G. Boerner, Leipzig, May 2-3, 1932, lot no. 306].
[3] See Wartenburg sale catalogue cited in note [2]. According to the Helmut H. Rumbler invoice, the work was offered for sale but not sold.
[4] See note [1]. This print was included in the catalogue for a 1948 auction ["Master Engravings." Gutekunst & Klipstein, Bern, November 26, 1948, lot no. 140]. Blum's collector's mark appears on the verso of the impression [Lugt, Frits. "Les marques de collections de dessins & d'estampes." Supplement. The Hague: M. Nijhoff, 1956, 79b].
[5] A letter from Helmut H. Rumbler dated November 17, 1995 describes the late provenance of the work [SLAM document files].
[6] See note [5].
[7] See note [5].
[8] Minutes of the Collections Committee of the Board of Trustees, Saint Louis Art Museum, December 15, 1995.
We regularly update records, which may be incomplete. If you have additional information, please contact us at provenance@slam.org.