(Vienna 1864–1941)
‘Merlinsage’, 3 working sketches for a 9-part frieze (inlays), for the World’s Fair in St. Louis, 1904, partly with notes about the work’s execution (information concerning material and colour), pencil, watercolour on paper, on canvas, each approx. 48 x 143 cm, image size 47 x 141 cm, on fine canvas, probably old mount, on the reverse in blue chalk ‘No. 86’, identical with the number in the table of contents of the Secession catalogue, (3)

Exhibited and with colour illustration:
Engelhart, Vienna 1909, XXXIV. Ausstellung der Vereinigung bildender Künstler Österreichs, Secession, Vienna, page 84 and cited in the table of contents: 86. Neun Blätter Werkzeichnungen für Holzintarsien (nine sheets of working sketches for wooden inlays)

From: Josef Engelhart. Ein Wiener Maler erzählt... Wilhelm Amdermann Verlag, Vienna 1943, p. 116

...In the room representing old Austria at the World’s Fair in St. Louis, the large wall surfaces were to be decorated with wooden inlays. The designs were consigned to me. I composed a frieze, choosing the legend of Merlin as a theme and used many geometrical motifs due to the short time left available to me. The human figures, although stylised, emerged vigorously from the shimmering of different types of wood, metal and mother of pearl. The frieze now decorates a house in New York.

Cited in:
Thieme-Becker, Künstler-Lexikon, vol. X, Leipzig 1914, p. 540: ... Entwürfe zu Intarsien „Merlinsage“ (Weltausstellung St. Louis, 1904) (sketches for „Merlin legend“ inlays, (St. Louis World’s Fair, 1904)) Saur, Allgemeines Künstler-Lexikon, vol. 34, Leipzig 2002, p. 43
... Merlinsaga, Edelholz- Marketerie (Legend of Merlin, precious wood marquetry), 1904

See:
Josef Engelhart, Vorstadt und Salon, Wien Museum, Christian Brandstätter Verlag, Vienna 2009, p. 139, cat. no. 5/25-27 – there the working sketches mentioned

Provenance:
Private Collection, Styria - acquired by the current owner at Würthle Gallery, Vienna, in the 1960s.