01 Work, RELIGIOUS ART - Franz von Stuck's The Dragon Slayer, With Footnotes - #135

Franz von Stuck, 1863 - 1928, GERMAN

The Dragon Slayer, c. 1913

Oil on panel

135 by 126cm., 53¼ by 49½in

Private collection

Sold for 605,000 GBP in May 2015

The Dragon Slayer is a particularly charged rendition of an age-old theme. Although most of Stuck's paintings depict scenes from the Antique or the Bible, neither the title The Dragon Slayer nor the iconography reveal the exact story behind the present work. Stuck's fascination with Greek legends suggests the subject to be Perseus and Andromeda, although Medusa's head and Perseus's winged shoes are missing. As early as 1900 Stuck’s contemporary, Lovis Corinth (lots 3, 4 & 5), had painted the hero as a medieval knight rather than a Greek half-god, and his Perseus and Andromeda may have been a possible source of inspiration for the present work. Another obvious influence would have been the biblical story of St. George, who kills the dragon to save a virgin. More on Thee Dragon Slayer

Franz Stuck (February 23, 1863 – August 30, 1928) was a German painter, sculptor, engraver, and architect. Born at Tettenweis near Passau, Stuck displayed an affinity for drawing and caricature from an early age. To begin his artistic education he relocated in 1878 to Munich, where he would settle for life. From 1881 to 1885 Stuck attended the Munich Academy.

In 1889 he exhibited his first paintings at the Munich Glass Palace, winning a gold medal for The Guardian of Paradise. In 1892 Stuck co-founded the Munich Secession, and also executed his first sculpture, Athlete. The next year he won further acclaim with the critical and public success of what is now his most famous work, the painting The Sin. Also during 1893, Stuck was awarded a gold medal for painting at the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago, and was appointed to a royal professorship. In 1895 he began teaching painting at the Munich Academy.
Having attained much fame by this time, Stuck was ennobled on December 9, 1905 and would receive further public honours from around Europe during the remainder of his life. He continued to be well respected among young artists as professor at the Munich Academy, even after his artistic styles became unfashionable. More on Franz von Stuck

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01 Work, CONTEMPORARY Interpretation of the Bible! Mylo Quam's Knight slaying a dragon I Saint George!) - with footnotes #61

Mylo Quam (American, 1941-1996)

Knight slaying a dragon I Saint George!)

Oil and cut paper collage on wood panel

39 1/4" x 23"

Private collection

Sold for  $325 USD in June 2022

Saint George (circa 275/281 – 23 April 303 AD) was a soldier in the Roman army who later became venerated as a Christian martyr. His parents were Christians of Greek background; his father Gerontius was a Roman army official from Cappadocia and his mother Polychronia was from Lydda, Syria Palaestina. Saint George became an officer in the Roman army in the Guard of Diocletian, who ordered his death for failing to recant his Christian faith.

In the fully developed Western version of the Saint George Legend, a dragon, or crocodile, makes its nest at the spring that provides water for the city of "Silene" (perhaps modern Cyrene in Libya or the city of Lydda in Palistine, depending on the source). Consequently, the citizens have to dislodge the dragon from its nest for a time, to collect water. To do so, each day they offer the dragon at first a sheep, and if no sheep can be found, then a maiden is the best substitute for one. The victim is chosen by drawing lots. One day, this happens to be the princess. The monarch begs for her life to be spared, but to no avail. She is offered to the dragon, but then Saint George appears on his travels. He faces the dragon, protects himself with the sign of the Cross, slays the dragon, and rescues the princess. The citizens abandon their ancestral paganism and convert to Christianity. More on Saint George

Mylo Quam (American, 1941-1996) was best known for his distinctive oil paintings which blend his strong background in mythology, the classics and religion, with a unique style of expression influenced by his notable wit, intelligence and eroticism.

Quam studied Classics at Brandeis, Boston, and New York Universities. He designed sets and costumes for theatre companies including the Actor's Playhouse in NYC, and for ballets including the Hoving Ballet Company and the Opera Municipal de Marseilles, France. He also created illustrations for The Story of O, published by Grove Press in 1970 and created a series of lithographs in 1975 based on the poem of Rimbaud, Une Saison En Enfer (A Season in Hell).

His paintings and collages have been exhibited in many prominent galleries in New York City, San Francisco, Key West and Woodstock.

His paintings have also been exhibited internationally - he had four international shows before his death in 1996. Mylo's solo exhibition in Haiti was the first by an American artist. Mylo Quam was also one of four artists selected to represent the United States in La Bienalle di Venezia, Italia of 1986, the oldest art festival in the world. His last exhibitions were at the prestigious CFM Gallery, NYC in 1995 and 1996. More on Mylo Quam

Please visit my other blogs: Art Collector, Mythology, Marine Art, Portrait of a Lady, The Orientalist, Art of the Nude and The Canals of Venice, Middle East Artists, 365 Saints, 365 Days, and Biblical Icons, also visit my Boards on Pinterest and deviantart

Images are copyright of their respective owners, assignees or others. Some Images may be subject to copyright

I don't own any of these images - credit is always given when due unless it is unknown to me. if I post your images without your permission, please tell me.

I do not sell art, art prints, framed posters or reproductions. Ads are shown only to compensate the hosting expenses.

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Thank you for visiting my blog and also for liking its posts and pages.

Please note that the content of this post primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online.