Art & Culture
Ferdinand Max Bredt captures the Fragility of Femininity
Written by Andrea Piaget
Ferdinand Max Bredt, born in Leipzig, Germany, 1860-1921, was a German Orientalist painter. His artistic journey, spanning various geographical landscapes, was a personal exploration and a significant cultural expedition that shaped his unique perspective and style evolution. From the familiarity of Leipzig, near Dresden and Czechoslovakia, to the southern parts of Europe, Italy, and Greece, and further into the realms of the East, Tunisia, and Turkey, Bredt captured the elaboratenesses of local architecture with beauty and fineness illustrating the everyday life of the Oriental harem and its residents. This diverse range of locations not only influenced his oeuvre of paintings in oil and watercolor but also left a profound cultural impact, particularly in his portrayal of women, whom he painted with fascination and in beautiful detail. His journey as a painter began in Stuttgart and later in Munich, where he sharpened his skills under the tutelage of Wilhelm Lindenschmit the Younger, 1829-1895, a Munich native, history painter, and son of Wilhelm Lindenschmit the Elder, 1806-1848, a Mainz native, known for a charismatic self-portrait, oil on canvas, titled: Der Künstler mit Seiner Familie, 1836, a genuine expression of his love for family and tradition exhibited in Landesmuseum Mainz.
One of the most intriguing aspects of Ferdinand Max Bredt's art is his profound transformation from traditional and conservative Western depictions of women to more liberal and worldly statements, always showing awe and great appreciation for the feminine. This evolution in his perspective is a natural expression of the expansion of his mind and unwinding style during his Oriental explorations outside the world of the West he belonged to. His voyage led him to create compelling statements, one poignantly captured in the painting Sinnenlust und Seelenfrieden. This piece, which translates to Sensual Pleasures and Peace of Mind, remains a fascinating mystery regarding its ownership and original location. This enigma adds to the allure of Bredt's work, drawing the reader further into the intricacies of his artistic journey from the West to the lands of the Near East.
Bredt was not just a painter, but a storyteller who wove tales of women, blending realism with a touch of fantasy, exuding some exoticism and ample mystery. Before he made his mark in the art communities of the West, he was a book dealer and connoisseur of literature. This early career choice, which reflected his deep appreciation for the critical literary collections of his time and his immersion in the upper class and the bourgeoisie, played a significant role in shaping his artistic style and subject matter. Both these social and intellectual aspects of his early career and the contrasting nomadic crusade he embarked on to the Old World served as a crucial juxtaposition to create perspective for finding his air of individuality.
Bredt's work, although seldom discussed today, was in the late 1800s and the first quarter of the 1900s, exhibited in Berlin, Paris, London, and the United States. Two of his paintings, representing his nation, were selected to represent Germany at the World Columbian Exposition of 1893 in Chicago, a significant event in Bredt's career as it was one of the most important cultural events of the late 19th century, attracting more than 27 million visitors from over 46 countries in six months of the exhibit. Choosing Bredt's paintings to represent their nation at this prestigious intergovernmental exhibition was a testament to the global appeal and quality of his art. This grand event in the United States was also known as the Chicago World Fair of 1893. Today, it is considered an international exposition categorized as an event of BIE class, referring to the Bureau International des Expositions, a Parisian intergovernmental organization founded in 1928 to supervise international exhibits within the Convention Relating to International Exhibits jurisdiction.
The city of Chicago in 1893, after competing with cities from six states, including New York City, Washington D.C., and Saint Louis, won the opportunity to host the fair. This peculiar exposition of international magnitude was a profoundly influential cultural and social affair that impacted American architecture and the arts. With its grandeur and global participation, the fair richly influenced the American art scene, infusing magnanimity within the spiritedness of American optimism. The architectural theme for the Chicago fair was the Beaux-Arts principles of design and neoclassical architecture based on symmetry, balance, and splendor, covering 690 acres of land (280 hectares), featuring nearly 200 new but temporary buildings of predominantly neoclassical architecture, canals, and lagoons.[1] The architectural impact of the World Columbian Exposition beautified and enriched the landscape of Chicago and the United States.
Woman Reading, oil on canvas, 1868-1921
Art & Culture
The paintings Schumann, The Visit, and Woman Reading all share a theme, capturing Western impressions of women of the Edwardian age in period attire. Some women are portrayed in their debutant season. Woman Reading, oil on canvas, 1868-1921, is a striking example. It tells the story of a woman at ease in the interior of a warm and thoughtfully decorated study. The room is illustrated in a way that accentuates its depth and spaciousness, with the woman sitting in the foreground and the room stretching out behind her. This use of space and perspective creates a sense of intimacy and beckons the viewer to step into the woman's world.
We immerse ourselves in the setting as we delve deeper into the painting. Thick cerulean curtains drape the walls, richly protecting the cold from transpiring through the glass. Layered under the dense fabric is a delicate off-white cotton textile. Flowers and curls are painted in keen detail, adorning the fabric and communicating a sensibility and romantic naturality that is genuinely captivating. The rug, with colors of crimson and coffee, dresses the floor, drawing our attention back to the sitter. She reads silently, accompanied by a polished crystal decanter and glass sparkling with an éclat that gently persuades our gaze. The crystal houseware, filled with water in moderation, rests over a scarlet velvet and ivory lace mantle, a juxtaposition of fabrics that hints at the depth and sensibility of pleasure Ferdinand Max Bredt finds in the feminine spiritedness of the debutant. The sitter's rosy cheeks, a symbol of youth, virginity, and femininity, further sweeten the narrative of the painting. Inviting the viewer to feel coy and the butterflies of youthful love.
The young lady in the painting is dressed in a high-top collar with details in lace, a sky, and a snow-colored silk shawl over a modest black dress with a subtle red undertone. This ensemble perfectly represents the feminine wardrobe elements of the Edwardian style, 1901-1919, a period of elegance and wealth. Ladies of society dressed in tailor suit-dresses covering them from the neck down in S-curve silhouettes. The ones who could afford fanciful fabrics would choose silks or damask for their wardrobe collection. This painting, created during this time, showcases Bredt's artistic skill and enamourment with the feminine, providing a glimpse into the time's fashion trends and societal norms.
Selbstbewusst (confident),oil on canvas, 1868-1921
Art & Culture
It is a revelation to see Ferdinand Max Bredt as one of the first to depict the compelling narrative of the empowered feminine with such finesse in the femme fatale of Selbstbewusst (confident), 1868-1921. This painting, a stark contrast to the Western women of the Edwardian era, known for their elegance and strict social standards, tells a different story. It brings to mind Cleopatra VII, 69 B.C.- 30 B.C., who stands out as one of the women of ancient Egypt who held more rights than anyone else in the ancient world. Cleopatra, for example, was a highly educated, strategic, and resilient figure of immense power and influence who navigated the complexities of her dynasty, the Ptolemy of Alexandria, with intelligence, grace, and mystery. Ferdinand Max Bredt consciously or unconsciously captures the essence of this female archetype of ancient Egyptian pharaohs in his painting Selbstbewusst.
Power, influence, and all the material and experiential luxuries in the painting entice the senses. People who find an appeal to influence and wealth can easily romanticize a lifestyle from viewing because, after all, it is through stories that we see the world, establishing a hierarchy of perception. The sitter of Sebstbewusst is captivating, wealthy, and mystifying. However, in the process of seeing, we as people tend to idealize and romanticize reality, choosing to shut our eyes to what is accurate, and the history of the archetype of the woman depicted, per se Cleopatra, whose life was although confounded in wealth and influence was no easy feat.
History tells that Cleopatra became the queen of Egypt at seventeen after marrying her brother Ptolemy XIII, who was only thirteen then. The advisors of Ptolemy XIII persuaded the king to break his relationship with Cleopatra entirely to gain complete power, setting her aside in absolution. It was Cleopatra who, at the age of 21, desired to create alliances with Italy to protect Egypt from a civil war, and her brother and advisors manipulated the opportunity to exile her from Alexandria to Syria by accusing the woman of treason by her brother, the king.
Becoming the queen of Egypt was no easy feat for Cleopatra. She demonstrated outstanding resilience and strategic intelligence, overcoming numerous obstacles, including her brother and advisors, all determined to keep her away from Alexandria. For example, when Julius Caesar was en route to Egypt after her exile, she devised a daring and audacious plan with the help of a Sicilian supplier named Apollodorus. [2] Cleopatra, Apollodorus, and other servants to the queen sailed the Nile River for eight days into Alexandria. Upon their arrival, the men managed to conceal her inside a large sack. The men then carried her, hidden inside the sack, into the palace and Julius Caesar's room. Their meeting led to an immediate connection, which led to her protection and, eventually, to the birth of her first child and a fruitful union, although temporary, with Rome. The life story of Cleopatra grows increasingly more complex, showing that power does have a nature to eat away at itself.
Overall, the painting Selbstbewusst by Ferdinand Max Bredt, being a book dealer previously to his artistic career and having received training in historical painting by Munich native Lindenschmit the Younger, captures the essence of power, seduction, and mystery while communicating with distinction and intelligence, the gentleness of the feminine nature, which is and will always be fragile, as was, in this example, Cleopatra, a woman too delicate to bear all of her influence alone. Selbstbewusst closed in May 2017 for 93,750 American dollars at Christie's. Ferdinand Max Bredt was a romantic. Looking closely at his paintings, we perceive his gentle, always respectful nature toward the feminine.