Rudolf Wilke

Rudolf Wilke ( born October 27, 1873 in Braunschweig, † November 4, 1908 ) was a German draftsman and caricaturist.

Life

Rudolf Wilke grew up as the eldest child of the carpenter John Wilke on in Braunschweig. Two of his younger brothers also proposed an artistic career a: Hermann Wilke (1876-1957) was a successful painter, cartoonist and commercial artist, and Erich Wilke (1879-1936) was also a caricaturist.

Rudolf Wilke made ​​a craft apprenticeship and then visited the Baugewerkschule in wood Minden. However, his artistic inclination let him down a new career path. He studied with the landscape and animal painter Nickol at Brunswick Polytechnic and then at a private art school in Munich and finally at the Académie Julien in Paris.

Wilke went to Munich and joined forces with his friend Bruno Paul (1874-1968) together in a studio. 1896 Wilke participated in a competition of the magazine The Youth. He was immediately hired as a permanent employee. 1899 brought him the publisher Albert Langen for Simplicissimus. Here he belonged until his death to the root of the main signatories.

Work

For Wilke was similar for his colleague Olaf Gulbransson, the line is the most important means of expression. With a few, but very precise strokes, he succeeded in getting the essentials unmistakable and highlight what is typical of a figure. His "victim" came from all walks of life: nobles, Corps students, military, Tramp, clergymen.

But his keen eye and his scribe never resulted in malicious distortion. Combined social criticism in his cartoons with a more relaxed serenity and deep understanding of human weaknesses.

Wilke worked with pencil, ink and opaque colors, often in a sophisticated mixing technology.

Rudolf Wilke Price

From 1954 to 1993, the city of Braunschweig awarded the " Rudolf Wilke price ". The price was endowed with DM 1,500 for a trip abroad. The prize was awarded for the first time on February 11, 1954, Karl -Heinz Meyer.

Prize winners ( list incomplete) in chronological order: