Max Rabes

Max Rabes in his studio, 1905. Photo by Zander & Labisch

The jury of the Great Berlin Art Exhibition 1917 at work. Seated on the far left is Professor Max Rabes

Max Rabes: Return of the Mecca Caravan

Max Friedrich Ferdinand Rabes (born April 17, 1868 in Samter / Posen , † July 25, 1944 in Vienna ) was one of the most famous German painters of the Wilhelmine era . He is considered to be the main representative of Berlin oriental painting and usually signed as "Max Rabes".

Training in Berlin

Max Rabes was born on April 17th, 1868 in Samter (in what was then the Prussian province of Posen). After moving to Stargard in Pomerania (1870), the family settled in Berlin in 1876 . Max Rabes first developed his talent as a painter independently by studying nature and later under the direction of the architecture and landscape painter Paul Graeb. On Graeb's advice, he also completed an apprenticeship with the decorative painter Borgmann in Berlin.

Travels to Southern Europe, the Orient and Africa

Max Rabes has made numerous trips, especially to southern Europe, the Orient and Africa. The experiences and impressions of these trips are reflected in his works. On the recommendation of the then State Secretary Baron von Richthofen , he was invited in 1898 to take part in the journey of Kaiser Wilhelm II to Constantinople and the Holy Land from October to November . The painters Carl Saltzmann and Ismael Gentz also took part in the imperial journey to the Orient .

In 1914 Rabes made a trip to the theaters of war in East Prussia . In July and August 1915 he was on the Western Front in Belgium and in February 1917 in Verdun . Between his numerous trips he lived in Berlin-Charlottenburg , at Burggrafenstrasse 2 (1905) and at Niebuhrstrasse 78 (1910). Rabes died on July 25, 1944 in Vienna.

Painting style and choice of subject

The style of Max Rabes' painting is indebted to impressionism. Even his early works are characterized by strong lighting effects. His trips to the Orient provided him with numerous views and topics in which he could fully develop this inclination. Rabes, however, resisted the designation as an "oriental painter" and wanted to have the versatility of his work recognized throughout his life.

Rabes also executed cycles of landscape murals in the dining room of a castle in Lausitz (1901), in a villa in Iserlohn (1905), the ceiling painting and three allegorical wall paintings for the theater in Breslau (1906) as well as numerous watercolors and illustrations.

Social recognition

Max Rabes is considered to be the main representative of Berlin oriental painting. His artistic interest in the Orient corresponded with the political interest of the German Empire in this region. Rabe's work therefore received attention and recognition at the very highest level early on. Since the 1890s he has been one of the most exhibited artists in Berlin. This made Rabes one of the most famous German painters of the time before the First World War. He was not only invited to accompany the German Emperor Wilhelm II on his Middle East trip, but also the Prince Cyril of Bulgaria during an extensive trip to America. For his services, Rabes was made an honorary doctorate and later also a professor at the art college in Berlin . He also received several medals.

In 1899 Max Rabes was awarded the Grand Ducal Baden Order of the Zähringer Löwen (2nd class).
On December 14, 1912, Max Rabes was awarded the Princely Lippian Leopold Order (with the crown, 2nd class) Steckkreuz (1910 edition).
He was also the holder of several Turkish orders and the Cross of Merit of Mecklenburg-Schwerin .

Works by the artist are now owned by many galleries at home and abroad.

Works (selection)

Western Wall in Jerusalem (1897)

Arab Market in Cairo (1891)
View of Gebel Silsile (Museum in Poznan)
On the banks of the Nile
Café house in Old Cairo
Market in Edfu (1895, Kunsthalle in Karlsruhe)
Luxor. Theben banks
Arab trade (museum in Schwerin)
Western Wall in Jerusalem (1897)
Public letter writer in Cairo (Post Museum in Berlin)
Troop revue of Kaiser Wilhelm II in Damascus
Entry of the German imperial couple into Jerusalem (1899) and
Bosporus (1900, owned by the Sultan)
View of Gebel Silsile (Museum in Poznan)
Market in Edfu (1895, Kunsthalle in Karlsruhe)
Arab trade (museum in Schwerin)
Naples
The masked ball
Bazaar scene in the old town of Cairo
Absalom's tomb near Jerusalem
A quiet corner. Arabs in the backyard of a mosque, indulging in idleness (mosque in Boulac?)
San Vigilio on Lake Garda
On the Ligurian coast. View from a terrace on the sunny bank area
Fishing boats on the beach in Capri
Flower market in Brussels
Near Rome
Village on the Nile
Colossi of Memnon
At the bell tower in Taormina
In the souk
A market scene
Castell before Rapallo
Portrait of a woman
Hassan (portrait of a boy, pencil drawing)
Summer high mountain landscape
St. Gudule. Brussels 1915

literature

Rabes, Max . In: Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon . 6th edition. Volume 16, Bibliographisches Institut, Leipzig / Vienna 1908, p. 539 .
Maximilian Rapsilber: Max Rabes. A picture of life and the world. Gustav Braunbeck Publishing House, Berlin 1918 ( archive.org ).
Richard Braungart (ed.): Max Rabes: Art of the time. In: Monographs of contemporary painting and sculpture. Verlag Oechelhäuser, 1928.
Karin Rhein: German oriental painting in the second half of the 19th century. Development and characteristics. Tenea Verlag für Medien, Berlin 2003.

Web links

Commons : Max Rabes - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Max Friedrich Rabes (German, 1868–1944). at artnet

Individual evidence

^ Max Rabes ( memento of December 2, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) fichterart.de.
^ Anonymus: Berlin and the Berliners. J. Bielefelds Verlag, Karlsruhe 1905, p. 101 (restricted view, books.google.de ).
↑ New members . In: Announcements of the ex-libris club in Berlin . Issue 4. Berlin December 1910, p. 43 ( Textarchiv - Internet Archive ).
^ Karin Rhein: German Orientmalerei in the second half of the 19th century. P. 164.
^ Court and State Handbook of the Grand Duchy of Baden 1910. G. Braunsche Hofbuchdruckerei und Verlag, Karlsruhe. P. 181.
↑ Order journal (PDF).
↑ Rabes, Max . In: Hans Wolfgang Singer (Ed.): General Artist Lexicon. Life and works of the most famous visual artists . Prepared by Hermann Alexander Müller . 5th unchanged edition. tape 4 : Raab – Vezzo . Literary Institute, Rütten & Loening, Frankfurt a. M. 1921, p. 2 ( Textarchiv - Internet Archive ).
↑ Rabes, Max . In: Hans Vollmer (Hrsg.): General lexicon of fine artists from antiquity to the present . Founded by Ulrich Thieme and Felix Becker . tape 27 : Piermaria – Ramsdell . EA Seemann, Leipzig 1933, p. 539 .
↑ Today Jewish Museum Berlin

personal data
SURNAME	Rabes, Max
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	Rabes, Max Friedrich Ferdinand
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	German landscape and portrait painter
DATE OF BIRTH	April 17, 1868
PLACE OF BIRTH	Samter, poses
DATE OF DEATH	July 25, 1944
Place of death	Vienna

[1] Max Rabes ( memento of December 2, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) fichterart.de.

[2] Anonymus: Berlin and the Berliners. J. Bielefelds Verlag, Karlsruhe 1905, p. 101 (restricted view, books.google.de ).

[3] New members . In: Announcements of the ex-libris club in Berlin . Issue 4. Berlin December 1910, p. 43 ( Textarchiv - Internet Archive ).

[4] Karin Rhein: German Orientmalerei in the second half of the 19th century. P. 164.

[5] Court and State Handbook of the Grand Duchy of Baden 1910. G. Braunsche Hofbuchdruckerei und Verlag, Karlsruhe. P. 181.

[6] Order journal (PDF).

[7] Rabes, Max . In: Hans Wolfgang Singer (Ed.): General Artist Lexicon. Life and works of the most famous visual artists . Prepared by Hermann Alexander Müller . 5th unchanged edition. tape 4 : Raab – Vezzo . Literary Institute, Rütten & Loening, Frankfurt a. M. 1921, p. 2 ( Textarchiv - Internet Archive ).

[8] Rabes, Max . In: Hans Vollmer (Hrsg.): General lexicon of fine artists from antiquity to the present . Founded by Ulrich Thieme and Felix Becker . tape 27 : Piermaria – Ramsdell . EA Seemann, Leipzig 1933, p. 539 .

[9] Today Jewish Museum Berlin