Author Topic: Another weird exlibris  (Read 3972 times)

Dean Perdue

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Another weird exlibris
« on: February 18, 2010, 01:30:46 pm »
Just got this one.
What do you guys think?
Measures 7X5 and signed.
Back has W. Rehn-1925 and some other numbers.

D&b antiques

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Re: Another weird exlibris
« Reply #1 on: February 18, 2010, 04:07:48 pm »
That's a weird one, looks German May be Chris will stop in & read it.

KC

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Re: Another weird exlibris
« Reply #2 on: February 18, 2010, 06:44:30 pm »
The text is German...but doesn't seem to make sense in translation!

Could you try and post another picture - a little clearer?  Thanks!

« Last Edit: February 18, 2010, 06:55:31 pm by KC »
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talesofthesevenseas

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Re: Another weird exlibris
« Reply #3 on: February 18, 2010, 11:12:13 pm »
Judging by the illustration, it's probably a warning to keep yer grubby paws off my book!  :o
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KC

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Re: Another weird exlibris
« Reply #4 on: February 19, 2010, 12:31:10 am »
That is what I was thinking...but do believe it is about a funeral!

« Last Edit: February 19, 2010, 01:11:33 am by KC »
I'm from the South - but please don't mistake my Southern Manners/Accent/Charm as a weakness!

Dean Perdue

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Re: Another weird exlibris
« Reply #5 on: February 19, 2010, 03:39:48 am »
Judging by the illustration, it's probably a warning to keep yer grubby paws off my book!  :o

LoL. Thats pretty funny. Never thought about it from that angle but I like the idea of it.

My take on the art was a 'in with the new year out with the old' topic with maybe a circle of life theme in there also (looks like old folks walking into the bright 1926 light on one side, and on other is  a young couple w/children). Just a guess.

I'm in the process of getting a translation so I'll post when it's available.
KC- I'll post a closer picture of the text tomorrow.Appreciate your intrest.

Thanks for the responses.Always intresting and fun to hear different perceptions on art.

« Last Edit: February 19, 2010, 03:46:40 am by Dean Perdue »

Dean Perdue

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Re: Another weird exlibris
« Reply #6 on: February 19, 2010, 03:43:17 pm »
Close up of text

Dean Perdue

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Re: Another weird exlibris
« Reply #7 on: February 19, 2010, 03:58:26 pm »
Sorry about how the photo turned out but had to downsize it (not too familiar with this process) apparently because it's over the allowable attachment size.
It's a bit cut off but the best I can come up with due to the lack of computer skills.

Dean Perdue

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Re: Another weird exlibris
« Reply #8 on: February 20, 2010, 04:42:08 pm »
Concerning a translation, here's the response of Bill Warda, one of the best minds in the field of Imperial German art (IMO).

"Dean,

Delete it, no way! This is exactly the sort of thing I'd like to bring to the fore - the German mindset before, during and after the First World War. For those that might give a small rat's behind, these great illustrations give us a candid peek into some of the myriad smaller ideas that blended together in a vast cauldron of thoughts and emotions that helped shape 1933 Germany - non-Nazis and National Socialists alike.

Your latest addition (looks like an engraving of some nature) is also a variation on the theme of the "Totentanz," or "Dance of Death." A very old European idea regarding the "Black Plague" dating way back to the 13th century, with the outbreak of the disease on the continent.

The traumatic impact of the Black Death inspired a rich tradition of "Totentanz", "Danse Macabre", or "Triumph of Death", paintings; and since the Middle Ages, throughout the Renaissance until today, painters, such as Bosch, Brueghel, Holbein, and many others, have ritually cleansed our subconscious of this archetypal fear with fantastic, and sometimes humorously horrible, images of dancing corpses and armies of skeletons. Those images contained a moral message as well: they were to remind us of how fragile our bodies were and how vain the glories of earthly life are.

The artist who did this card must have had a dark sense of humor to send this off to his friends, and I think I can see the reason why. In the last line of his poem he uses the phrase, "Glück auf!" An old German/Austrian miner's saying, literally, Luck-up, but in other words, hope to see you topside again, or, cheers to your next ride up! The old miner's suffered tremendously back then, a time when casualty-lists were extremely high for the poor buggers. Safety measures were almost non-existant and must have been an awful irritant to the big mining bosses. Those safety measures cost money, with those Marks and Schillings coming directly out of their profits/pockets ... not! Anyway, it's an old miner's greeting for a dangerous profession and
I believe it comes into play here:

"Mein Futter wird vom Tragen blank u. weiss
Mein Aussres schwarz u. fahl:
Zum Jahresende wende ich lebensleis
Den Mantel jedesmal
Glück auf und glaub dir der bestimmt Sein anders schon fur besser nimmt."

auf englisch -

"My liner worn clean and white
My outer black and wan
On New Year's Eve I turn the coat with feeble life
Luck up and believe ordained to you
is he who takes his "other" yet as better..."

I may be off a bit but it's something along these lines..? German poetry, old limericks and rhymes can be a real thorn in the side and open to several interpretations. A few times I've seen 19th century, German military presentation swords with lines of poetry that stumped the best of the best translators, causing heated arguments. That is until an older gentleman came along and put it into context in it's true poetic sense and viola,' at once the meaning became crystal clear! Sometimes, the art of a good translation can be difficult at best.

So for better or for worse, that's my take on the image and I hope we now have at least one leg to stand on..? heh ...I'd appreciate hearing any and all criticisms and comments, maybe I've overlooked a key element somewhere along the line? Sorry it took so long to get back on this one but those poems can be a killer!

Thanks again for posting from your nice art collection!

Bill "

KC

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Re: Another weird exlibris
« Reply #9 on: February 20, 2010, 05:43:15 pm »
Now it makes sense.

The old German (fraktur) changes a little with each person's writings  Could never get the interpretation of "Luck Up".  Now it makes sense.  My interpretation was:

My inside is wearing bright and ?
My outside black ashen
at year end, I turn the coat with frailty
Gluck and believe you that determines
he is to be different for even better

Coupled with your friends...it makes sense!  Great sense of humor.  This is a real keeper!
I'm from the South - but please don't mistake my Southern Manners/Accent/Charm as a weakness!

talesofthesevenseas

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Re: Another weird exlibris
« Reply #10 on: February 20, 2010, 07:47:40 pm »
VERY interesting response. Thanks for sharing this Dean!
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regularjoe2

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Re: Another weird exlibris
« Reply #11 on: February 20, 2010, 08:20:19 pm »
Cool translation .. I struggled with it too , to no avail .

Nice dark 'humor' of it's era , Dean !

Dean Perdue

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Re: Another weird exlibris
« Reply #12 on: February 20, 2010, 10:15:08 pm »
KC-
I got to say I'm impressed with your translation skills.
Between the two, your right, it is becoming understandable.Not an easy task.
Thanks for making a image have even more meaning through your efforts.

KC

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Re: Another weird exlibris
« Reply #13 on: February 21, 2010, 02:00:03 pm »
It was fun...but frustrating.  Kind of like Shakespeare....you have to know the time-line/era/customs/speech/humor to get the true meaning of a literary piece.

I'm from the South - but please don't mistake my Southern Manners/Accent/Charm as a weakness!

talesofthesevenseas

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Re: Another weird exlibris
« Reply #14 on: February 21, 2010, 09:37:35 pm »
Good job KC!!
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