The New International Encyclopædia/Uhde, Fritz von

UHDE, ōō'de, Fritz von (1848—). A German historical and genre painter, born at Wolkenburg, Saxony. He began his artistic studies at the Dresden Academy in 1866, but, totally at variance with the spirit prevailing there, entered upon a military career and served in the army until 1877, when he took up painting again, at Munich, giving his attention especially to the old Dutch masters. Unsuccessful in his attempts to gain admittance to the studios of either Piloty or Diez, he was induced by Munkácsy in 1879 to remove to Paris, where he worked for a short time in that master's studio, but principally studied from nature and his old Netherland models. A result of these combined influences was the “Family Concert” (1881, Cologne Museum). The new coloristic principles which he in the meanwhile adopted are apparent in the “Arrival of the Organ-Grinder” (1883), and, turning now to religious subjects, he gave full vent to the most uncompromising sobriety in composition in his “Suffer the Little Children to Come unto Me!” (1884, Leipzig Museum). As this scene is depicted as taking place in a poor working man's room, so is also the following subject, “Come, Lord Jesus, and Be Our Guest” (1885, National Gallery, Berlin). He next produced “Christ with the Disciples at Emmaus” (1885, Städel Institute, Frankfort), “The Sermon on the Mount” (1887), the triptych of the “Nativity” (1889, Dresden Gallery), and “The Walk to Bethlehem” (1890, New Pinakothek, Munich), a bold modern conception of the subject. Progressing in his naturalistic conception, Uhde gave rise to a complete change in German art, counting among his followers most of the younger generation. His more recent productions include: “Noli me tangere” (1894, New Pinakothek, Munich). “The Wise Men from the East” (1896, Magdeburg Museum), “The Last Supper” (1897, Stuttgart Museum), “Ascension” (1898, New Pinakothek, Munich), and “Woman, Why Weepest Thou?” (1900, Vienna Museum). Consult the monographs by Lücke (Leipzig, 1887), Graul (Vienna, 1893), Bierbaum (Munich, 1893), Meissner (Berlin, 1900), and Ostini (Bielefeld, 1902).