Karl Oenike
Encyclopedia
Karl Oenike was a renowned German
landscape painter
, who participated in various scientific expeditions in South America
during the years 1887-1891 as painter and photographer. He wrote detailed diaries, made topographical maps, drawings, sketches, watercolors, oil paintings and photos during these expeditions, which give a valuable perspective of remote regions and populations, and of the difficulties encountered by German explorers
in the 1880s. Few artists in the exotic art genre have depicted better the “magic of the forest” in his paintings .
on April 9, 1862. He studied art in the Berliner Kunstakademie
from 1879 to 1886 under Prof.Eugen Bracht :de:Eugen Bracht, who was a highly respected landscape painter of “oriental motives”.
In 1887 he was invited by Prof.Ludwig Brackebusch to participate in a geographical and geological expedition surveying the Andes
mountains starting in the province of San Juan to the province of Catamarca
in Argentina’s NW. He later participated in other expeditions to the NE of Argentina
, Paraguay
and Brasil.
During his stay in Buenos Aires
, Argentina, he met Wilhelmine Fehling, whom he married in 1891 and with whom he moved back to Berlin. They had four daughters, Charlotte, Marie Henriette, Wilhelmine Gertrud and Luise Irmgard.
Upon his return to Berlin Karl Oenike pursued a career as landscape painter, mainly in northern Europe. He was commissioned to paint castles, sceneries, reproduce historic scenes, etc. and participated in several exhibitions. He was a very prolific artist, using various techniques like engraving, watercolor, oil painting, etc. His best known artwork is “Einzug der Pilger”, an engraving showing the entry of pilgrims into the village of Bethlehem around 1894, which has been widely reproduced in diverse publications . But actually most of his work was landscape painting, where he depicted his "personal vision of nature" .
But his years in the Southern region of South America “occupied a very important position, yes, a good part of his life work” . He left various reports on his trips, some of which can be found in the library of the Society for Geography in Berlin and in the Ibero-Amerikanisches Institut in Berlin. And his drawings, engravings and photos appeared in various works about South America .
He died on April 11, 1924, at the relative young age of 62.
- 28. Grosse Gemalde Ausstellung (3.1 to 4.18.1892)
- Deutsche Kunstabteilung, Chicago World Exhibition (1893)
- 29. Grosse Gemalde Ausstellung (March 1894)
- 30. Grosse Gemalde Ausstellung (3.1 to 4.15.1896)
- Ausstellung Internationaler Graphik des 19.Jahrhunderts (1912)
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
landscape painter
Landscape art
Landscape art is a term that covers the depiction of natural scenery such as mountains, valleys, trees, rivers, and forests, and especially art where the main subject is a wide view, with its elements arranged into a coherent composition. In other works landscape backgrounds for figures can still...
, who participated in various scientific expeditions in South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
during the years 1887-1891 as painter and photographer. He wrote detailed diaries, made topographical maps, drawings, sketches, watercolors, oil paintings and photos during these expeditions, which give a valuable perspective of remote regions and populations, and of the difficulties encountered by German explorers
Exploration
Exploration is the act of searching or traveling around a terrain for the purpose of discovery of resources or information. Exploration occurs in all non-sessile animal species, including humans...
in the 1880s. Few artists in the exotic art genre have depicted better the “magic of the forest” in his paintings .
Life and work
Karl Oenike was born in BerlinBerlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
on April 9, 1862. He studied art in the Berliner Kunstakademie
Berlin University of the Arts
The Universität der Künste Berlin, UdK is a public art school in Berlin, Germany, one of the four universities in the city...
from 1879 to 1886 under Prof.Eugen Bracht :de:Eugen Bracht, who was a highly respected landscape painter of “oriental motives”.
In 1887 he was invited by Prof.Ludwig Brackebusch to participate in a geographical and geological expedition surveying the Andes
Andes
The Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continual range of highlands along the western coast of South America. This range is about long, about to wide , and of an average height of about .Along its length, the Andes is split into several ranges, which are separated...
mountains starting in the province of San Juan to the province of Catamarca
Catamarca Province
Catamarca is a province of Argentina, located in the northwest of the country. The province has a population of 334,568 as per the , and covers an area of 102,602 km². Its literacy rate is 95.5%. Neighbouring provinces are : Salta, Tucumán, Santiago del Estero, Córdoba, and La Rioja...
in Argentina’s NW. He later participated in other expeditions to the NE of Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, Paraguay
Paraguay
Paraguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
and Brasil.
During his stay in Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, Argentina, he met Wilhelmine Fehling, whom he married in 1891 and with whom he moved back to Berlin. They had four daughters, Charlotte, Marie Henriette, Wilhelmine Gertrud and Luise Irmgard.
Upon his return to Berlin Karl Oenike pursued a career as landscape painter, mainly in northern Europe. He was commissioned to paint castles, sceneries, reproduce historic scenes, etc. and participated in several exhibitions. He was a very prolific artist, using various techniques like engraving, watercolor, oil painting, etc. His best known artwork is “Einzug der Pilger”, an engraving showing the entry of pilgrims into the village of Bethlehem around 1894, which has been widely reproduced in diverse publications . But actually most of his work was landscape painting, where he depicted his "personal vision of nature" .
But his years in the Southern region of South America “occupied a very important position, yes, a good part of his life work” . He left various reports on his trips, some of which can be found in the library of the Society for Geography in Berlin and in the Ibero-Amerikanisches Institut in Berlin. And his drawings, engravings and photos appeared in various works about South America .
He died on April 11, 1924, at the relative young age of 62.
Expeditions
- 1888 – Geological Expedition in the Andean region of Argentina led by Prof.Ludwig Brackebusch covering the provinces of San Luis, San Juan, La Rioja, Catamarca and Jujuy.
- 1888 – Expedition to Salta by himself
- 1889 – Ethnological Expedition to Paraguay led by Prof.A.Jordan to survey the Guayaki tribe, one of the last Stone Age groups in existence.
Drawings in Publications
- Ludwig Brackebusch – “Die Kordillerenpässe zwischen der argentinischen Republik und Chile“ (The mountain crossings between Argentina and Chile), ed. Zeitschrift Gesellschat für Erdkunde, t.27, 1892
- Ludwig Brackebusch – “Das Bergmannsleben in der Argentinischen Republik” (The Life of Miners in Argentina), ed.Westermanns Monatshefte, T.75, March 1894, p. 749-771 includes 15 drawings by K.Oenike
- Karl Oenike – “Skizzen aus Argentinien” (Notes on Argentina); 14 p incl. 20 drawings, pub. Von Fels zum Meer (1896)
- Dr.P.Ehrenreich – “Neue Mitteilungen ueber die Guayaki (Steinzeitmenschen) in Paraguay” (New reports on the Guayaki (Stone Age tribe) in Paraguay)in Globus Zeitschrift, T.LXXIII, Nr.5, p. 1-6, Ed. By F.Vieweg & Son, Braunschweig, Germany (1898) includes 1 drawing by K.Oenike
- Moritz Kronfeld – “Bilder-Atlas zur Pflanzengeographie” (Picture Atlas of Plants), Bibliographisches Institut, 1908, 192 pp, includes drawings by K.Oenike
- Dr.Herman Ten Kate - “Exotisme in de Kunst” (Exotism in Art), Elserevier’s Geillustreerd Maandschrift, Year XXIII, T. XLVI (July–December 1913), Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Paintings
There is no complete listing of his work, but we can mention the following paintings which are mentioned in recent auction house listings: The arrival of the Pilgrims (Einzug der Pilger); By the water’s edge; Summer lake with lillies and reeds; High Mountain grove; Botanical Gardens- Rio de Janeiro; Landscape with river and figure; French river landscape with large trees and woman walking; Palms in the jungle of Paraguay (Palmenlichtung im Urwald von Paraguay); Figures in Paraguayan landscape; Old oaks; Oven by the wood; Bavarian moor; San Bernardino-Paraguay; Landscape of Argentina, Big Tree and some men (Motiv aus Argentinien); Oberburg Manderscheid; Hain im Riesengebirge; Willian Tell; Bondgard; Am Waldsaum; Waldlichtung; Pappeln am Menkiner See; Bispinger, Feldweg auf einer Bergkuppe und Bauernhaus; Dorfschmiede by Menkin, Uckermark; Schoss DyckExhibitions
This is only a partial listing.- Kunstverein Bremen, Germany
- 28. Grosse Gemalde Ausstellung (3.1 to 4.18.1892)
- Deutsche Kunstabteilung, Chicago World Exhibition (1893)
- 29. Grosse Gemalde Ausstellung (March 1894)
- 30. Grosse Gemalde Ausstellung (3.1 to 4.15.1896)
- Thuringer Ausstellungsverein Bildender Kunstler, Jena, Germany (May 1902)
- Kunstverein Wiesbaden, Germany
- Ausstellung Internationaler Graphik des 19.Jahrhunderts (1912)