Featured The Despair of Genius.....

I was wondering if anyone had any insight on this one. Found in the UK, it appears to be an ink drawing measuring 30x42.5cm (12”x16¾”) with hand-written text in German beneath, which is very difficult to decipher. The text on the papers strewn on the floor is in Russian I think. Feels quite strong satirical artwork to me but I’ve made no progress on its origin. The signature looks like M Ryba but it all feels too early and too dark for Michael Ryba, the German cartoon artist. The text begins ‘Die Verzweíflung des genies’ ie. the despair of the genius and a very rough translation of the whole text is ‘The despair of the genius does not receive the appropriate empathy, an outcome that’s not all down to the genius, good isn’t it. Which is even more regrettable as with this the power of the genius becomes humanised in a most unsatisfactory way. As I am the ?? representative of the species I absolutely won’t accept it. I sincerely hope I expressed myself clearly’.

 

Sorry some of the pics and font seem to have gone a bit hay-wire!

 

Is it possible that the signature is Cyrillic?

 

I find Michael Ryba 1947-2014 online. I think that's entirely reasonable given the style.

 

Good idea but I can't make it work! Not finding that 'R'.

 

Hum... That's so interesting. He was working in the mid-1970s. You could ask here; this collector appears to be very knowledgable about his work. And did you notice what appears to be a self-portrait incorporated into the drawing?

https://cartoon-puzzle.com/contact-me/

Debora

 

Wow, thanks for that brilliant lead and to moreotherstuff. I've messaged them so will be interesting to see their response. It's on a very heavy paper, and so difficult to gauge the age as you can’t really see the browning in the paper. To me it just feels more 1874 than 1974. It would be great if it is by a known artist like Michael Ryba, but I looked through his work and my cartoon seems too dark and pessimistic for him, especially with that text. In the mid-70s Ryba was producing SchindelSchwinger which seems a million miles from this.

 

It's a very strong work. Wasn't done by a teenage boy in his parents' basement. Michael Ryba drew cats in many of his works. You might want to compare executions with that of the cat in yours.

Debora

 

Will do! I'm struggling to spot the self-portrait.

 

Does this help (re self-portrait)?

Debora

 

Interesting item. Looking at the closeups, it may be a lithograph rather than an ink drawing.

 

Yes I thought that at first. I’ve looked at it under quite high magnification and it looks like an ink drawing. But you would definitely expect some errors and minor smudges which just aren’t there. Is there any way I could check definitively?

 

I like it.

It wouldn't be out of step with 1974 I don't think. There were a lot of big footed people (think of "truckin"), also long hair and granny glasses. Sort of reminds me of John Lennon in a funny way. It looks like someone in a long dress is watching from the chair.

 

And Russian connection (e.g. liquor bottle on table) wouldn't be unexpected.

Debora

 

I keep hearing, "Nevermore."

 

Thought so... "Despair of genius" is a quote.

From the internet: "André Chénier, the original of whatever is truest to nature and genuine passion, in the modern poetry of France, died by the guillotine, July 27, 1794. In ascending the scaffold, he cried, 'To die so young!' 'And there was something here!' he added, striking his forehead, not in the fear of death, but the despair of genius!"

Debora

 

Try looking at the entries for lithography and offset lithography on this website:
http://www.graphicsatlas.org/identification/?process_id=226#overview
http://www.graphicsatlas.org/identification/?process_id=46#overview

As they point out, "lithographic images can be difficult to distinguish from other graphic processes because familiar tools were used to apply the image to the stone, resulting in images without unique aesthetic characteristics. The most important identifying feature is the relationship between the ink and the paper—they are on the same plane."

"The most common types of monochromatic lithographs are pen and ink style, chalk-manner, and transfer. Pen and ink style lithographs appear similar to line drawings. The image was drawn onto the stone with pen and brush."

"Additionally, broad areas of solid, even tone were possible because large areas could be covered with a greasy medium allowing ink to be receptive to these large areas. "

The larger flat black areas in your closeups are what made me suspect a lithograph. But it can be difficult to identify them even when you have them in hand.

 

Finding another example online would clinch the issue.

 

That’s a haunting epitaph for a possible ‘genius’. I thought maybe the full text on my picture was a quote from somewhere but I can’t track it down. It’s interesting that Germany produced a disproportionate number of geniuses in the 19th century and this became a target for humour and satire.

 

I agree that a lot of the imagery feels 20th century. I think the female figure looking on (arms crossed disapprovingly??) from the chair is also a cartoon character with a floppy paw on the edge of the chair. And I don’t understand what looks like holly in her lap.