Catharina Klein

Catharina Antonie Klein was born on 4 November 1861[1] in Karlshöfchen (now in Bagrationovsky District) near the East Prussian town of Preußisch Eylau.

[6] Her works were then represented in well-known art collections and the royal palaces of Berlin,[1] and the German Emperor Wilhelm II also bought paintings by the artist.

[11] After the turn of the century, Klein almost exclusively accepted commissioned work from publishers such as Meissner & Buch from Leipzig[12] and Raphael Tuck & Sons from London.

[1] They had already published their earlier works in larger editions using multi-colour lithography, the leading reproduction method at this time.

[13] In addition to the printing of her works, which Klein herself tirelessly promoted, a large number of unauthorized copies appeared.

Above all, the hybrid tea roses with their lush flower shape and countless colour variations held a special fascination.

[6] Klein was considered an important representative of flower painting during her lifetime, as the German-language encyclopedia Brockhaus Enzyklopädie noted in 1911.

[18] In 1905, another German-language encyclopedia, Meyers Konversations-Lexikon, classified the painter among those who "know how to combine the truth of the characteristics with the richness and virtue of the colouring".

These days the art reception of Klein is limited to a few contributions in non-fiction books and other media such as enthusiast blogs on the web.

These include statements by the cultural scientist Sabine Frank, according to whom the art scene, which was dominated by arrogant "male egomaniacs", has contributed to Klein's rapid fall into oblivion.

The compositions of her pictures are "brilliant", the technical ability "above any doubt" and their depictions are easily accessible even without any training one the topic of art history.