Sunday 16 August 2015

Dresslers Kunsthandbuch


is the achievement of painter and interior architect Willy Oskar Dreßler (Berlin 1876 - 1954 Eschede). He published his "Kunstjahr-buch" from 1906 to 1913 and later from 1920-1931 as "Dressler's Kunsthandbuch". 

Volume 1 is treating: "Bild, Kunst und Tonkunst", Volume 3 is on living Music scientists and Musicians and 

Volume 2: "Das Buch der lebenden deutschen Künstler"


It is this second volume, on living German artists that I was able to obtain recently by swapping. The "Who is Who" of artistic Germany in 1920. 




Other reference publications are: the French "Benezit, Dictionaire des Peintres .(8 volumes)" and the transcendent German "Thieme-Becker-Vollmer Künstler Lexicon" (37 volumes in 19 + 6 = 25 pocket size books (nowadays there are many cheap offers),


or its complete contents digitally accessible on 1 Cd-rom at unbelievable  bargain-price


My rare copy of Dresslers however has revealed some printmakers disappeared from all other records and Artist Lexicons but also much extra information in my research of forgotten and obscured German women printmakers (born 1850-1900): living and working addresses, purchases of works by museums and institutions, society memberships and exhibition data. 


The 1930 (9th and last) edition was reprinted in 1990 because of it's great value to the art world. My copy how ever is the 8th, 1921, edition

Between 1920 and 1930 artists wil have died (strikken from the contents of 1931) but many new entries were added. The 8th edition counts 768 pages, the 9th and last 1931 edition: 1376 pages ! No doubt there will be much interesting facts and obscured artist to be discovered.


Entry for Emil Orlik in 1921

I would very much like to be able to consult (obtain, buy, borrow or use) an affordable 1930 edition or 1990 reprint. Offers or suggestions welcomed !

No comments:

Post a Comment