This exquisite early 20th-century etching by German artist Franz Hecker (1870-1944) depicts an elderly gentleman reading by a window.

A view across the picturesque town of Osnabrück, with its quaint timber-framed buildings, extends into the distance.

Hecker was an accomplished etcher having studied the old masters intently and just two years prior to completing this work, he’d travelled to Amsterdam to examine Rembrandt's etchings. Here, we see the influence of the great Dutchman and it’s interesting to compare this work to Rembrandt's self-portrait of 1648. The books, the papers, the open window - it’s essentially an homage. 

There’s also a possible reference to ‘Ole the Tower Keeper’, a fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen.

Hecker was a traditionalist and his legacy is one of a gentler, considered world, which celebrates the beauty of nature and the value of quiet contemplation.

Signed lower right in pencil, numbered lower left, and held within a contemporary glazed frame.

Medium: Etching with aquatint on wove paper
Overall size: 19½” x 23½” / 49cm x 60cm
Year of creation: 1909
Condition: Artwork presents well.
Artist’s auction maximum: £11,952

Franz Hecker

Franz Hecker trained at the Düsseldorf Academy and later at the Académie Julian in Paris under William-Adolphe Bouguereau. His works are held in numerous public collections including at the Seattle Art Museum. In 1944, he was awarded the Justus Möser Medal.

Learn more about Franz Hecker in our directory.