A fine early 20th-century genre scene depicting two old friends getting together to play music. It feels like a regular event - perhaps it happens every Wednesday. The gentleman on the right is holding a violin, while his friend is playing some kind of lap guitar or similar. The details of the room interior are exquisite.

The artist, Hans Kratzer (1874-1927), is known for his scenes that celebrate ordinary everyday life. During the 1920s, he seemed to specialise in painting Cardinals in natural informal settings. He was one of a group of painters to do this, which reflected the desire of the Catholic Church to connect with the public.

One of his works is held in The Knohl Collection and can be viewed here. Another was recently sold.

The painting is signed in the lower right.

Medium: Oil on canvas
Overall size: 18” x 21” / 46cm x 54cm
Year of creation: c. 1910
Provenance: Germany
Condition: Scuffs, scratches and some minor paint loss.
Artist’s auction highlight: £1,308 achieved for ‘Grosse Jagdszene’ at auction in 2011.