Hermann KNACKFUSS (Wissen 1848 - Cassel 1915) Brünhild... Lot 38

Hermann KNACKFUSS (Wissen 1848 - Cassel 1915) Brünhild mourning the death of Siegfried Canvas 42 x 47 cm A Prussian painter, like his brother Eduard Heinrich, Hermann Knackfuss is famous for academic scenes such as The Yellow Peril (Völker Europas, wahrt eure heiligsten Güter / The peoples of Europe must protect their sacred property), commissioned by Wilhelm II and offered to Nicholas II in 1895. Our painting is in the same spirit, illustrating the death of Siegfried, the legendary hero of Norse mythology who became famous again thanks to Richard Wagner's tetralogy, Der Ring des Nibelungen, composed in 1857 and which largely contributed to the revival of interest in the Siegfried legend.