(Milwaukee 1858–1936 Munich)
Girl in a purple dress, signed, dated Carl Marr (18)93, oil on canvas, 168 x 106 cm, framed, slightly damaged, (Rei)

Born in Milwaukee as the son of German immigrants, Carl von Marr first received his artistic training in the USA before attending the Munich Academy.
His artistic work was characterised first by the art forms taught at the academy, such as historical and genre scenes, before he let go of academic doctrine and devoted himself entirely to landscape painting. The colour palette used in these works was based on that of open-air painting. The present painting shows a small girl with a ball of wool looking at the viewer with a sad, even slightly defiant expression. Her lilac-coloured dress contrasts with the grey background. Marr depicts the scene with few colours. His brushstrokes treat the material of the surfaces with great bravura. The girl has been caught by the viewer taking the ball of wool – presumably without permission – from the knitting lying on the floor.
Marr retains the childish innocence of this work with something like affection. The identity of the girl portrayed has unfortunately not been passed on, but the manner of his portrayal lets us conclude that the artist probably had a personal connection to the protagonist of his work.