3. Karoline Kubin (1860–1945)

Karoline Kubin (1860–1945)

Rural Winter Landscape, first half of the 20th century

Oil on canvas, 66.5 x 97 cm / 79 x 110 cm.

Signature in lower left corner. K. Kubin

Kubin was an Austrian painter born in Chrudim, Czech Republic, and died in Vienna in 1945. She first studied in Brussels and Antwerp, and later at the Academy in Prague under Hermína Laukotová between 1893 and 1896. She then continued her studies in Vienna. After moving to Munich, she became a member of the Luitpoldgruppe, a group of visual artists (primarily painters) who sought to achieve high artistic quality and moderately modern artistic aims. The group was founded in 1892 as a breakaway from the Munich Artists’ Cooperative.From 1905 onwards, she worked in Vienna, where she exhibited her work. She travelled to Italy, living for extended periods in Florence and Rome. She died in Vienna at the age of 84. She painted still lifes, especially floral motifs. She also worked in genre and landscape painting, including scenes of the Giant Mountains and the Alps.Online sources vary in the spelling of her first name, using either 'Karoline’ or 'Caroline’, though literature most commonly uses the spelling with a 'K’.

Description:
A winter landscape with two wooden cottages at the centre of the composition. In the foreground, a trodden path in freshly fallen snow leads further into the scene. The roofs of the cottages are covered with a thick layer of snow. Greenish-brown shrubs are visible on both the left and right sides. Several trees, either bare or still holding onto their autumn leaves, stand around the cottages. In the distance, a foothill landscape with picturesque hills emerges partially from beneath the snow. These features suggest that there was heavy snowfall in autumn, followed by a sudden rise in temperature.

The sky is grey and overcast with a smoky appearance. The color palette is subdued, as is typical of winter landscapes, with white snow predominating. The signature K. Kubin is visible in the lower left corner.