Pencil on paper (envelope)
Berlin, Germany, around 1900
Heinrich Zille (1858-1929) – German graphic artist and illustrator
Red estate stamp (Lugt L.2676b) upper center ‘Heinrich Zille.’
Verso the cut-out part of an envelope; addressed to the artist, franked and stamped
Sheet size: c. 15 x 9 cm
Good condition
Quick sketches of three girl’s heads as charming examples of Zille’s ‘Milljöh’ studies; comparable works fetch up to €3.600 at international auctions

The present pencil study was made by the famous German artist Heinrich Zille and indicates the heads of three girls looking out of the window. The work is a charming example of the artist’s tremendous pleasure in documenting all his impressions and observations he made, when wandering around the streets of the Berlin ‘Milljöh’. The backside of the sheet surprisingly unveils the cut-out part of an envelope that had once been addressed to the artist and then served him as the best availably material for a spontaneous idea. Accordingly, the sheet is presented in a decorative double glazed frame.



The work reveals the artist’s red estate stamp upper center ‘Heinrich Zille’. The work is in good condition considering its age; the paper is only slightly discolored and shows a few stained and slightly rubbed areas on both sides. The sheet measures c. 15 x 9 cm and the framed overall dimensions are 33.5 x 27.5 cm.



Heinrich Zille (1858-1929)

Heinrich Zille came from an impoverished family, often plagued by creditors, and the young Heinrich was forced to earn money with small errands at an early age. He also earned the money for his first drawing lessons himself and served his apprenticeship under a lithographer after leaving school; at the same time he studied under Professor Theodor Hosemann, who advised him to go to the streets, to observe and to draw. After completing his studies, Zille was employed by different graphic firms before working for the Photographische Gesellschaft Berlin (Photographic Association Berlin) from 1877 onwards for thirty consecutive years. After his discharge from the military, he began to work as a freelance painter while still working for the Photographische Gesellschaft and developing his own characteristic style: his works are characterized by scenes from the Berlin ‘Milljöh’, from the backstreets and the world of the proletarian underclass, to which he often added typical Berlin witticisms. In 1903 Zille became a member of the Berlin Secession. He was a close friend of Max Liebermann and became more and more known and popular, which resulted in his appointment as professor at the Prussian Academy of the Arts in 1924. After his death in 1929, Zille was buried in an Ehrengrab (grave of honour). A museum in Berlin is dedicated to the exceptional artist, whereas countless streets and schools are named after him. The art museum of Mühlheim/Ruhr owns the largest collection of Zille drawings beyond Berlin. (cbo)

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