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Gabriel von Max Most Popular Paintings

The 23 artworks by Gabriel von Max our visitors ask for most, ranked by popularity and presented one by one, with the specification and the price of each hand-painted reproduction.

Edition 2026 · 23 artworks Each artwork painted to order
Linen canvas · Certificate of authenticity · Delivered worldwide Gabriel von Max · 1840 – 1915

Still life (A girl sitting by spinet)

1871 · Regional Gallery in Liberec, Liberice

Explore Gabriel Cornelius Ritter von Max’s ‘Still Life (A Girl Sitting by Spinet)’ – a 1871 oil painting showcasing realism, muted tones & opulent detail. Discover this captivating Victorian artwork.

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 1 of 65 artworks by Gabriel von Max
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17534 × 29 cm Commission this artwork

Monkeys as Judges of Art

1889 · Neue Pinakothek, Munich · original 85 x 107 cm

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 2 of 65 artworks by Gabriel von Max
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17536 × 28 cm Commission this artwork

Same size as the original$413107 × 85 cm Commission at original size

Monkey in front of a Skeleton

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 3 of 65 artworks by Gabriel von Max
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17527 × 37 cm Commission this artwork

Get finished Flowering

Regional Gallery in Liberec, Liberice

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 4 of 65 artworks by Gabriel von Max
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17529 × 35 cm Commission this artwork

Katharina Emmerich

1885 · Neue Pinakothek, Munich · original 84 x 66 cm

Explore Gabriel von Max’s mystical ‘Katharina Emmerich’ painting – a haunting 1885 oil on canvas masterpiece. Discover its symbolism & the artist's unique Secessionist style.

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 5 of 65 artworks by Gabriel von Max
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17528 × 35 cm Commission this artwork

Same size as the original$30966 × 84 cm Commission at original size

The anatomist

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 6 of 65 artworks by Gabriel von Max
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17537 × 27 cm Commission this artwork

The Last Token: A Christian Martyr

original 172 x 119 cm

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 7 of 65 artworks by Gabriel von Max
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17527 × 37 cm Commission this artwork

Same size as the original$743119 × 172 cm Commission at original size

Last Performance

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 8 of 65 artworks by Gabriel von Max
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17535 × 28 cm Commission this artwork

Monkeys and painting

Discover Gabriel von Max’s ‘Monkeys and Painting’! A captivating Secessionist scene of baboons observing art. Explore realism, symbolism & a unique artistic narrative.

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 9 of 65 artworks by Gabriel von Max
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$32537 × 27 cm Commission this artwork

Monkeys doll

Explore Gabriel Cornelius Ritter von Max’s ‘Monkeys Doll,’ a haunting oil painting of captivity & power dynamics. Romantic realism meets unsettling symbolism – a unique, dark masterpiece.

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 10 of 65 artworks by Gabriel von Max
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$20027 × 37 cm Commission this artwork

Monkey playing pianoforte

Admire 'Monkey Playing Pianoforte' by Gabriel Cornelius Ritter von Max – a captivating Secessionist portrait of a curious monkey. Hand-painted reproduction available.

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 11 of 65 artworks by Gabriel von Max
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17527 × 37 cm Commission this artwork

Dusk

Explore 'Dusk' by Gabriel Cornelius Ritter von Max – a hauntingly beautiful Romantic portrait featuring impasto textures & a melancholic gaze. Secessionist style, dark palettes.

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 12 of 65 artworks by Gabriel von Max
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17528 × 36 cm Commission this artwork

Monkeys at the Piano

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 13 of 65 artworks by Gabriel von Max
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17527 × 37 cm Commission this artwork

Model Laura

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 14 of 65 artworks by Gabriel von Max
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17527 × 37 cm Commission this artwork

Monkey with lemon (also known as The Sour Experience)

1890 · original 34 x 26 cm

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 15 of 65 artworks by Gabriel von Max
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17527 × 36 cm Commission this artwork

A portrait of a woman in native costume

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 16 of 65 artworks by Gabriel von Max
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17527 × 38 cm Commission this artwork

Before the Arena

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 17 of 65 artworks by Gabriel von Max
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17528 × 36 cm Commission this artwork

In love

Exquisite portrait by Gabriel Cornelius Ritter von Max! A realistic 19th-century oil painting featuring a captivating young woman. Explore its romantic style & emotional depth.

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 18 of 65 artworks by Gabriel von Max
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17528 × 36 cm Commission this artwork

The Murderess of a Child (also known as Die Kindsmörderin)

1877 · original 111 x 160 cm

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 19 of 65 artworks by Gabriel von Max
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17526 × 38 cm Commission this artwork

Same size as the original$665111 × 160 cm Commission at original size

Monkey

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 20 of 65 artworks by Gabriel von Max
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17527 × 37 cm Commission this artwork

Yearning

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 21 of 65 artworks by Gabriel von Max
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17529 × 34 cm Commission this artwork

Monkey with Pitcher

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 22 of 65 artworks by Gabriel von Max
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17527 × 37 cm Commission this artwork

St. Theresa Morl

Iwami Art Museum, Masuda · original 55 x 70 cm

Technique: Hand-painted oil on linen canvas
Made: To order, by a trained painter
Popularity: No. 23 of 65 artworks by Gabriel von Max
Delivery: Worldwide, about 5 weeks

from$17529 × 35 cm Commission this artwork

Same size as the original$25955 × 70 cm Commission at original size

The artist

Gabriel von Max

1840 – 1915

Quick facts

Color intensitymonochromatic, balanced
Top 3 worksStill life (A girl sitting by spinet), Monkeys as Judges of Art, Monkey in front of a Skeleton
Copyright statusPublic domain
Lifespan75 years
Creative periodsmature period
Museums on APSNeue Pinakothek, Regional Gallery in Liberec, Iwami Art Museum
Top-ranked workStill life (A girl sitting by spinet)
Born1840, Prague, Czech Republic

Biography

Gabriel Cornelius Ritter von Max: A Visionary of Mysticism and Anthropology

Gabriel Cornelius Ritter von Max (1840-1915) was a profoundly singular figure in 19th-century Austrian art, an artist whose work defies easy categorization. Born in Prague to a sculptor father and a musician mother, his early life fostered a deep appreciation for both artistic expression and intellectual curiosity. He wasn’t simply a painter; he was a collector of anthropological artifacts, a student of esoteric philosophies, and a meticulous observer of the human condition – all these facets profoundly shaped his unique artistic vision. Max's oeuvre is characterized by a haunting beauty, often imbued with a sense of melancholy and spiritual yearning, reflecting his fascination with mysticism, symbolism, and the darker aspects of human experience. His distinctive style, dubbed “unglücksmalerei” (unhappiness painting) by critics, utilized a deliberately dark palette and psychologically charged imagery to explore themes of mortality, faith, and the mysteries of existence.

Early Life and Artistic Training

Max’s artistic journey began with his father, Josef Max, a sculptor who instilled in him an early understanding of form and technique. However, it was at the Prague Academy of Arts that he truly discovered his intellectual passions. He immersed himself in subjects far removed from traditional academic painting – parapsychology, Darwinism, Asiatic philosophy, and the writings of Schopenhauer. This eclectic education, guided by his mentor Eduard von Engerth, laid the groundwork for his later exploration of mystical allegories. He then moved to Vienna’s Academy, studying under figures like Karl von Blaas and Karl Mayer, absorbing their technical skills while simultaneously forging his own distinctive path. Crucially, he encountered the ideas of Franz du Prel and Albert Keller, key figures in the burgeoning spiritual-mystical movement that would heavily influence his work. The Piloty School, where he studied briefly with Karl Theodor von Piloty, provided a foundation in composition and technique, but Max quickly diverged from the prevailing trends, establishing his own unique style rooted in psychological depth and symbolic richness.

The Development of a Distinctive Style

Max’s artistic development can be traced through a fascinating evolution of palette and subject matter. Initially influenced by the “unglücksmalerei” – the dark, somber aesthetic championed by Karl Theodor von Piloty – he employed this technique to depict religious and mythological scenes with an intense emotional resonance. His early masterpiece, "Martyr at the Cross" (1867), exemplifies this shift, transforming a traditional subject into a psychologically complex meditation on suffering and faith. However, unlike Piloty, Max didn’t simply replicate darkness; he used it to create a profound sense of atmosphere and psychological depth. Later in his career, he moved towards a more muted palette, favoring subtle gradations of color and focusing on the interplay of light and shadow. His paintings often feature ethereal figures bathed in soft luminescence, conveying a sense of otherworldly beauty and spiritual transcendence. The influence of his extensive collection of anthropological artifacts is also evident in his work, particularly in depictions of animals – sometimes rendered as human-like figures – that reflect his fascination with the interconnectedness of nature and humanity.

Notable Works and Influences

Several paintings stand out as testaments to Max’s unique artistic vision. “The Last Token” (Metropolitan Museum) is a prime example of his ability to imbue seemingly simple subjects with profound symbolic meaning, while "Light" (Odessa Museum of Western and Eastern Art) showcases his mastery of atmospheric effects and his exploration of spiritual themes. His fascination with monkeys—he kept a collection in his Munich home for many years—is vividly depicted in several works, blurring the boundaries between species and prompting reflections on human nature. Beyond his own artistic explorations, Max was deeply influenced by the Blue Rider movement, though he maintained a distinct identity within this broader circle of artists. The meticulous documentation of his monkey collection – hundreds of photographs and sketches – reveals his commitment to observation and his desire to translate reality into art.

Legacy and Historical Significance

Gabriel von Max’s artistic legacy is one of quiet intensity and profound introspection. While he didn't achieve widespread fame during his lifetime, his work has since been recognized for its originality and emotional depth. His exploration of mystical themes, combined with his anthropological interests and distinctive style, established him as a significant figure in the Secessionist movement and a precursor to Expressionism. His collection of artifacts, now housed in the Reiss Engelhorn Museum in Mannheim, offers a fascinating glimpse into his intellectual pursuits and provides valuable context for understanding his artistic vision. Max’s life and work serve as a reminder that art can be both a reflection of the world around us and a window into the deepest mysteries of human experience.

Questions & Answers

What other names is Gabriel von Max known by?

Gabriel von Max is also known as Gabriel Cornelius von Max, Gabriel Cornelius Ritter von Max, Gabriel Max, Gabriel Cornelius Max, Prof. Gabriel Max.

Where can I see all artworks by Gabriel von Max?

Every work by Gabriel von Max on this website can be browsed from the artist's All Artworks page.

Where are Gabriel von Max's artworks mapped by subject?

Gabriel von Max's works can be explored by subject on the artist's Subject Atlas page.

By the ArtsDot.com Editorial Team Updated Sept. 8, 2026

Collector's quiz

Gabriel von Max is most known for his work exploring which of the following themes?
Which artistic movement is most closely associated with Gabriel von Max's style?
What significant collection did Gabriel von Max amass throughout his life?
During which period did Gabriel von Max primarily utilize a 'Unglücksmalerei' (dark palette) in his paintings?
What role did photography play in Gabriel von Max's artistic process?

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three Delivered, certified

Rolled, stretched or framed, insured, with a certificate of authenticity.

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