The adventure tour with actors from the Volksspielgruppe Altenerding gives deep insights into the private life of animal painter Franz-Xaver Stahl.
Love messenger Cupid also plays a role.
Erding – Looking over the shoulder of a famous painter in his studio, experiencing the secret thoughts of his mother, but also the insights of the housekeeper – that is what many a contemporary would like to do.
This is made possible by the adventure tours in the Franz-Xaver Stahl Museum, where the successful animal painter (1901-1977) lived and worked.
Amateur actors from the Volksspielgruppe Altenerding and museum director Heike Kronseder bring everyday life to life in the Stahl household.
The idea of expanding the museum tours with plays came from Renate Eßbaumer, vice-president of the Volksspielgruppe.
She also wrote the cast's dialogues.
With the desire to "lure people to art and culture", she found open ears from museum director Kronseder.
The result of the cooperation has been excellent.
The former parental home in which Stahl was born in February 1901 and died in November 1977 became the property of the city of Erding after the death of his widow Margarete.
Since 2014, the museum has been open to visitors with its original furnishings and numerous works by the painter.
During the adventure tour, Kronseder introduces the household.
And housekeeper Kathi (played by Anna-Lisa Burgmair) welcomes the visitors - as was customary at the time - with freshly baked biscuits.
The Stahls' Nymphenburg porcelain is still in the cupboard, and the studio looks as if the painter had just put down his brush.
Kronseder draws the visitor's attention to the realistic depiction of the animals in nature and at work, which can be admired in many of the pictures.
On the easel is a self-portrait of the artist with a cupid on his shoulder - a painted marriage proposal, so to speak... And then a little cupid with blond curly hair jumps in and whispers something in the artist's ear.
It really touches the hearts of the viewers how little Magdalena Köck (six years old) as Cupid motivates the undecided Mr. Stahl (Robert Neugebauer) to propose marriage.
However, this did not apply to his later wife Margarethe, but to his former painter colleague Johanna Däberitz, who rejected the application.
After that, the bride-to-be could not decide to get married for a long time, which his mother (Angelika Ferstl) also regretted very much.
She complains to the housekeeper Kathi, who has also kept an eye on the landlord and would certainly not say no to an offer.
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Depressed: Franz Xaver's mother (Angelika Ferstl) complains to the housekeeper Kathi (Anna-Lisa Burgmair) that her son does not want to marry.
© Peter Gebel
Franz Xaver Stahl was considered an introvert who rarely left the district.
He found his inspiration on bike rides, taking his sketchbook and a wooden folding stool with him, which can also be seen in his studio.
His brother Josef, called Beppi (Max Ganser), was completely different, and he would have liked to have taken Stahl with him on trips to Italy.
Beppi, who is more interested in technology, greatly admires his brother's art and proudly shows visitors a children's book that he has illustrated.
Although he cannot understand the "single-layered bachelor", he is grateful that he took such good care of their mother until her death.
Franz Xaver Stahl only decided to marry at the age of 62 and married Margarete, the widow of his painter colleague Johann Georg Schlech, whose paintings also hang in the Künstlerhaus.
There are also artistic silhouettes on display, which Stahl produced with incredible accuracy at a young age and also sold well, as Kronseder explains.
She knew Margarete Stahl (1912-2014) personally and was good friends with her, which explains her deep understanding and impressive knowledge of the family.
With noticeable enthusiasm, Kronseder talks about the more than 1,400 letters from Stahl's legacy, including numerous letters from Rudi Schacht, a friend of Stahl's from student days.
This Rudi (Hubert Netter) is currently writing a letter to his old friend, while the visitors – as is customary in the Stahl household – are dismissed with a schnapps.
You have gained a highly entertaining insight into the artist's household and a personal view of Franz Xaver Stahl as a person.
The Franz Xaver Stahl Museum, Landshuter Straße 31, can be visited every first Sunday of the month.
Further adventure tours with the Volksspielgruppe Altenerding will take place on May 7th, 13th, 14th, 20th, 21st and 25th.
Price: 19 euros.
Remaining tickets are available from Heike Kronseder, email to heike.kronseder@erding.de.
Cast: Robert Neugebauer/Robert Jell (Franz Xaver Stahl), Angelika Ferstl/Anneliese Adelsperger (mother), Laura Gallo/Anna-Lisa Burgmair (housekeeper Kathi), Max Ganser/Norbert Obermaier (brother Beppi), Magdalena Köck (Amor), Hubert Netter (Rudi Schacht).
Costumes: Oli Scheufler.
Mask: Jutta Emberger.
