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Lot Essay
Carlos Schwabe was born in Germany in 1866 and raised in Geneva, Switzerland, receiving his artistic training at the École des Arts Décoratifs. He moved to Paris in 1890, where he became involved within the Symbolist circles, winning favour as an illustrator of mystical religious themes, such as his poster for the first Salon de la Rose+Croix in 1892. This annual exhibition in Paris showcased mystical Symbolist art, particularly a hermetic, numinous vein of Symbolism that was favoured by Péladan and dominant during the 1890s, a time when religious and occult practices often intertwined. Maternité is an eloquent example of Rosicrucian art.
Painted in 1920, this work is one of the few large scale oil paintings Schwabe produced and the last work from the series based on the theme of the Vierge aux lys, a subject he returned to and developed several times from 1895 onwards. However, when compared to previous works from 1898 and 1900 we notice the iconography somewhat shifting in the present work, with scenes no longer depicted in the sky, but on earth. The ancient stone stairs now substitute the clouds, the imposing stone wall which dominates the composition, confronting the viewer and all of humanity from seeing what exists beyond it, has replaced the hedgerow of lilies. Looking through the door, we steal a glimpse of a church, the only obviously religious reference that replaces the symbols of the Passion that are ever present in the Vierge aux lys. The staircase alludes to the iconography that came out of the manifesto of the Salon de la Rose+Croix, however in this scene the female figure has already reached the high point of the steps, which have been worn down by the passage of humanity throughout the centuries. Firmly grounded, within the structure of the doorway, the figure does not feel as transitory or ethereal, as with previous works. However, there are still elements that elevate her form and bring a sense of enlightenment to the composition. The body is visibly elongated and exaggerated as it transcends the reality of its architectural surrounding. This is further enhanced through the cuts of sunlight that strike the steps and mother with her child, gilding them in gold, presenting the real in the ideal. Maternité represents, together with Le Faune (1923), the zenith of the artist’s spiritual journey within his oeuvre and is a rare example to come to the market.
Painted in 1920, this work is one of the few large scale oil paintings Schwabe produced and the last work from the series based on the theme of the Vierge aux lys, a subject he returned to and developed several times from 1895 onwards. However, when compared to previous works from 1898 and 1900 we notice the iconography somewhat shifting in the present work, with scenes no longer depicted in the sky, but on earth. The ancient stone stairs now substitute the clouds, the imposing stone wall which dominates the composition, confronting the viewer and all of humanity from seeing what exists beyond it, has replaced the hedgerow of lilies. Looking through the door, we steal a glimpse of a church, the only obviously religious reference that replaces the symbols of the Passion that are ever present in the Vierge aux lys. The staircase alludes to the iconography that came out of the manifesto of the Salon de la Rose+Croix, however in this scene the female figure has already reached the high point of the steps, which have been worn down by the passage of humanity throughout the centuries. Firmly grounded, within the structure of the doorway, the figure does not feel as transitory or ethereal, as with previous works. However, there are still elements that elevate her form and bring a sense of enlightenment to the composition. The body is visibly elongated and exaggerated as it transcends the reality of its architectural surrounding. This is further enhanced through the cuts of sunlight that strike the steps and mother with her child, gilding them in gold, presenting the real in the ideal. Maternité represents, together with Le Faune (1923), the zenith of the artist’s spiritual journey within his oeuvre and is a rare example to come to the market.