A Puzzling Story

I bought the painting of the sleeping monk (wearing the blue apron) from a gallery in Germany some 30 years ago. It was painted by an artist named Schada.

To my surprise, a few years later I discovered a similar picture on the cover of the book, A Dictionary of Drink. The artist who painted this work is E. Greutsner 1846-1925.

I sent the gallery an email and told them that the picture I bought looked uncomfortably like a knock off copy of Guenstner's original work.

When you click on each picture, and expand it in size, and look carefully at both works, you will see what I mean. The facial features of the monks is similar. The shapes around the barrels are the same. They both hold a glass of wine and they both have a wine basket by their side.

I suspect that if you took Guenstners oriiginal work that the picture on the cover is an edited, work.

When I bought the painting, there was no indictor of it being "After the work of E. Guenstner". I was led to beleive that it was an intellectual and artistic original.

I will look up the price and post it later. I feel somewhat cheated because the work I paid a lot of money for, has lost its artistic virginity.