He was only 53 years old and left Erding early. Nevertheless, painter Albert Schiestl-Arding bore his hometown in the name.
Erding– “His works are magnificent, his life story touching and much too short.” That is what art historian Heike Kronseder says about Albert Schiestl-Arding (1883-1937). She dedicated an exhibition to the painter who bore his hometown in his name. The show with 40 works, which was planned in the Frauenkircherl and in the Franz Xaver Steel Museum, fell victim to the Corona pandemic. It had to be postponed to spring 2021.
“Albert Schiestl-Arding was a painter that one likes to forget if you list the famous artists born in Erding, such as Hiasl Maier-Erding, Franz Xaver Stahl, August Kraus or Benno Hauber, and the many others,” says Kronseder. An exhibition of his works was overdue. By chance, Joseph Hierling, famous collector of works of expressive realism, had the same intentions. Kronseder met him, everything was quickly settled. Hierling has provided 28 large-format paintings by Schiestl from the Schweinfurt art gallery, supplemented by loans from some Erdinger citizens and the museum.
Expressionist portraits and floral still lifes
"Albert Schiestl painted wonderful expressionist portraits and above all flower still lifes," enthuses Kronseder. To do this, he picked the flowers himself and arranged them in vases. "I like him very much. He would have earned so much more, but he just wasn't lucky, ”says the art historian from Wartenberg, who heads the Steel Museum in Erding.
Albert Schiestl was born on April 27, 1883 in Erding, the son of the trimmings, that is, the ribbon, ribbon and tassel maker Carl Schiestl and his wife Ottilie. She had five children from her first marriage to her husband Carl's brother, who had since died. This included Friedrich Schiestl (1871-1945), from 1919 to 1929 2nd Mayor of Erding.
Little Albert's relationship with his half-siblings was not good throughout life. But the relationship with his father was all the closer. Carl Schiestl taught the boy about literature, riding and transferred his love for nature to him. It was he who gave the four-year-old the first dog. Albert Schiestl should have dogs all his life - and paint.
After the key experience, the artist's wish to become a profession has been decided
The mother was more concerned with the business. The department store was a good address in Erding and, as a colonial goods store, offered everything besides coal that was necessary for everyday use, including coffee and cocoa. The first stroke of fate in Albert Schiestl's life was the early death of his father. This was followed by years in boarding schools until middle school and an apprenticeship in Augsburg with a cloth manufacturer.
There was an experience that led him to realize that he was becoming a painter: “One day he saw his terrier dog lying on a colorful pillow in front of the stove in the sunlit room. The sun's rays lit up only the dog and pillows in the room. This scene was so beautiful that he felt an intense desire to paint it. He soon knew: 'I will become a painter,' ”says Kronseder.
Instead of emigrating to the USA, Schiestl lives in Bremen
Schiestl attended the art academy in Munich and took private lessons before he wanted to emigrate to America. He was hired as a crew member of a liner, but had to get out of the boat due to illness. He stayed in Bremen and earned his living as a decorative painter. Then he worked in a photo studio, where he met his future wife, the painter Annemarie Holländer. They celebrated their wedding in 1908 and daughter Liselotte was born five years later.
Artist colony in Worpswede
When the First World War broke out, Schiestl volunteered, but was put on hold for health reasons. While he bought a German shepherd and trained as a paramedic and dog handler to serve as a war volunteer, his wife and daughter moved to Worpswede near Bremen. After the war Schiestl followed them and enjoyed painting, discussing and sitting with the artists of the colony. However, Schiestl's life took a sad turn: First he separated from his wife, then his accommodation burned down and he lost everything he owned.
"As a broken man, he left Worpswede and moved to the Harz Mountains, where he kept himself afloat with painting and odd jobs," says Kronseder. The situation must have been unbearable for him. For example, he agreed to a stay in a nerve sanatorium arranged by friends. Schiestl recovered, took part in exhibitions again and has since signed the name Albert Schiestl-Arding as a reminder of his hometown.
Painted front and back of the canvas
Happiness also returned privately. In 1926 he married the actress Irmgard Schott. After the birth of daughter Nora, the painter experienced great creativity. "He was a hard-working painter," says Kronseder. There are large and small format works by him, eight are owned by the city of Erding. "He often painted the back of the canvas too." So there is a picture with horses and riders in the front and a landscape with a farm in the back. “If you're lucky, you can buy an Albert Schiestl for less than 2,000 euros,” says Kronseder. In galleries it is sometimes traded for 4000 to 8000 euros.
On February 14, 1937, Albert Schiestl-Arding died of lung tuberculosis at the age of 53. It is not known that he ever returned to Erding.