Max Radler Totentanz

MAX RADLER (German, 1904-1971), „Auch ein Totentanz“ (Danse macabre), 1940-1941
11 pieces , 11cm x 18cm, Ink on various papers.
The „Danse Macabre 1940-1941“ consists of 11 ink drawings picturing death in different modern (1940/41) situations. The displayed order is by numeration of the the artist.

Max Radler was born in 1904 in Breslau. He started out as a decorator and carpenter. In 1927 and 1928 he studied at the School of crafts and painting in Munich (Münchner Gewerbeschule für das Malerhandwerk) and joined the class of Prof. Meier-Franken. Later on, he became a student and friend of Georg Schrimpf, Otto Grassl and Oskar Maria Graf. From 1930 on, he was a member of the artists group „Die Juryfreien“ in Munich. In the same year, his famous painting „Der Radiohörer“ (The radio listener) was executed. In WW2 Max Radler served as a soldier and was imprisoned by British troops. Almost his complete work was lost in a 1945 bombing. After the war, he became a member of the artistsgroup „Neuen Gruppe“, Munich and worked for several news magazines like „Ping-Pong“, „Der Simpl“ and „Der Simplicissimus“ as a cartoonist and illustrator.