Artists

German Grobe

German, 1857-1938

German Grobe was son of the merchant Johannes Grobe and his wife Amalie, born Eberhard. After he in his native city first lessons with George Cornicelius had received, he attended from 1873 to 1876 the Stadel Art Institute in Frankfurt am Main, where he student of Eduard Von Steinle was. In October 1877 Grobe went to Ludwig Von Lofftzat the Munich Art Academy and moved in 1879 to the Art Academy in Dusseldorf, where he was first a student of Eduard von Gebhardt was. From 1880 to 1883 he was a student of Eugen Ducker, one of the leading landscape painters in Germany. In preparation for the new teacher Grobe visited in the summer of 1879 eight weeks, the artist colony Ekensund on the northern shore of Flensburg Fjord. However, the decisive artistic impulse went for Grobe of Dückers predecessor Andreas Achenbach from whose realistic-pathetic seascapes in Germany for many years, the idea of the “picturesque Holland” imprinted.

Grobe took study trips to the coastal regions of Bordighera / Riviera (1881 and 1882), Le Treport / Normandie and Vlissingen (1882), Sylt and again Vlissingen (1883) and Ekensund (1884). Another study trip led him in 1884 after Egmond aan Zee.

After his marriage with Margarethe von Schultz (1884) Grobe changed hands several times residence. He was initially based in Dusseldorf, 1885-1887 in Hamburg and 1888 until 1891 in Munich of. In Hamburg, he was a member of the Hamburg Arts Association from 1832. 1892 he settled permanently in Dusseldorf, moved here but frequently the residence, until it fits into the angle Straße 15 in the district of Pempelfort, where he in 1907 bought a house, for the rest of his life was established.

Since 1887, Grobe took accompanied by his family every year study trips to Katwijk, where he returned to his death over and over again. Grobe, the responsible cooperated in an evangelical free church, led a very secluded life. With Wilhelm Hambuchen, Heinrich Hermanns, Eugen Kampf. He belonged to the “club Düsseldorf artist 04”. Since 1884 he was represented by his paintings at exhibitions in Dusseldorf, Berlin, Munich, Vienna, Magdeburg, Bremen and Dresden. In 1902 he called in Dusseldorf a “painting school for ladies” into life. On the occasion of his 70th birthday the honored him Kunstverein for Rhineland and Westphalia in Dusseldorf in 1927 with a solo exhibition. On the occasion of his 80th birthday were at the same place again “some significant works” issued. In September 1937, the municipality of Katwijk honored the 80-year-old artist on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of his first visit. The press paid tribute to detail his life’s work, the festival ended with a serenade and the Dutch national anthem. Grobe died on 9 November 1938 in Dusseldorf.

The great success of Andreas Achenbach with the so-called Marine Genre had Grobe prompted at the age of 26 years, also turn to the life and activity of Dutch fishermen and sailors on the beach, the docks and the depositing and incoming fishing boats. Under the influence of Achenbach was built around 1882-83 the first big Marine image “harbor entrance during a storm.” This was followed by images where the subject “Dutch Fischerflottille” repeatedly varies appears: are anchored along the waterfront lined up up to ten flat-bottomed vessels, dutch “Bomschuiten”, while on the bank, people gather to begin with the unloading of the catch.

The stays in his second home Katwijk took him artistically close to the painter of the Hague School, in particular the most popular representatives of Hendrik Willem Mesdag. Grobe knew how to suggestive way of representing fishing boats on the sea, but there are also pure sea pictures under the influence of light and wind with and without beach. In Katwijk Grobe expanded the spectrum of his work at fish auctions at the beach, conch fishermen with their carts, bathers and children at the inlet characterized. Under the influence of Max Liebermann’s epoch-image of “net mending grooves” (1889) also Grobe took up this issue. Rough and Lieberman have met 1890 in Katwijk what Grobe is likely to have added momentum to compete with the famous countryman. More overlap with Liebermann found in the motif of the potato crop. Another motive complex are local views of Katwijk with the people who live here in their characteristic ancient costume. As with countless other artists are also found in the motif of Grobe streets around the Oude Kerk and the lock at Altenrhein.

Out of concern for the livelihood for his family of eight is Grobe acted in line with market. Based on numerous pencil drawings and oil studies incurred locally Grobe was prolifically. Many pictures were taken in order and demonstrate how Dietrich Bieber writes, “from about 1916 increasingly retrospectively everyday life of people living from fishing Katwijker population.”

Works in the public domain can be found in Katwijk Museum, Stedelijk Museum De Lakenhal Leiden, Museum Kunst Palast Dusseldorf, Museum Berg Flensburg, Museum Kunst der Westkuste in Alkersum auf Foehr, Altonaer Museum Hamburg and the Historical Museum Schloss Philippsruhe, Hanau.

Exhibitions:
1998 German Grobe (1857-1938), solo exhibition, Katwijks Museum.

References:
Dietrich Bieber:
Discoveries with the pen - northern Germany in the early work of German Grobe In:..
Nordalbingia Bd. 53, Boyens, Heide 1984, pp 97-120.
Ulrich Schulte-Wulwer artists’ colony on the northern shore of Ekensund Flensburg Fjord
Boyens, Heide 2000.  pp 89-91.
Dietrich Bieber: Two painters - a picture.The Flensburg Fjord in community works by
German Grobe and Ludwig Fay In:. Nordalbingia Vol.. 78, Boyens, Heide 2009, pp 79-91.
Dietrich Bieber, JP Van Brakel, W. van der Plas:
German Grobe (1857-1938) Katwijks Museum, Katwijk 1998th.