Paper

Student Artwork Guide

Cactus

Name Class Date

Hermann Struck, Cactus (1900), Leo Baeck Institute. Public domain. See this canvas under a moving light: the drawing, the true colour under the varnish, the bare pigment

The facts

Artist
Hermann Struck artsdot.com/en/artists/hermann-struck/
Artist’s dates
1876 – 1944
Painted
1900
Medium
Painting
Original size
38 x 25 cm
Movement
Berlin Secession
Period
19th Century
Held at
Leo Baeck Institute artsdot.com/en/museums/leo-baeck-institute-new-york-city/
Notable elements or techniques
Birds, cacti, and trees in composition
Subject or theme
Nature, landscape, and wildlife

In context

Cactus — Hermann Struck

How big is it?

The original measures 38 × 25 cm (height × width), drawn here beside an adult of average height.

When was this painted?

  1. 1870
  2. 1880
  3. 1890
  4. 1900
  5. 1910
  6. 1920
  7. 1930
  8. 1940

Row above: the years. Row below: how old the artist was at the start and at the end of each span — 0 at birth, 68 at death.

Painted when the artist was 24. The artist lived to 68. 0 of the 29 dated works by this artist in our catalogue came earlier.

Shaded: the lifetime of Hermann Struck (1876–1944) ▲ this work, 1900 every dated painting, decade by decade

First works: up to 1900 Main working years: 1900–1919 Late works: from 1919

Those three bands split the works this catalogue has a date for into a first quarter, a middle half and a last quarter. They are not the artist’s complete output: a thin stretch may be a gap in the record rather than a quiet spell. The same years with the artist’s life laid along them

Compare with

Pick one work above: name two things it shares with this one, and one thing that's different.

More works to set beside this one: artsdot.com/en/art/similar/hermann-struck-cactus-D7RRQP-en/

Colours

Measured from the image

    Main colour

    Putty #d5bf97

    Catalogued palette

    • #D5BF97
    • #EDECE5
    • #75644D
    • #B19873

    These colours inside the artist’s whole palette Find other paintings by colour

    Palette
    Neutrals The dominant colour family in the image.
    Main colour name
    Putty
    Intensity
    Vivid How saturated and varied the colours are, from a single toned-down hue to many bright ones.
    Contrast
    Gentle How much the colours differ in lightness and saturation across the picture.
    Harmony
    Unified Palette How well the colours work together, from clashing to fully unified.
    Brightness
    Brilliant How light or dark the picture reads overall, from deep shadow to bright highlight.
    Saturation
    Balanced Soft How pure and strong the colours are, from near-grey to fully vivid.

    Where in the world is this painting looked at?

    • under 1%
    • 1–3%
    • 3–8%
    • 8–20%
    • 20% and over
    This painting alone has too few recorded visitors to map, so the plate reads every work by Hermann Struck over the last twelve months — 4 countries in all. Where these figures come from

    The ten leading countries

    1. 1 China 71.4%
    2. 2 United Kingdom 14.3%
    3. 3 Hong Kong 7.1%
    4. 4 Singapore 7.1%

    Find the three darkest countries on the map. Is the museum that keeps this painting in any of them? Write down one reason people far away might look at it.

    The 12 most looked-at works by Hermann Struck

    1. 1 Cactus, 1900 this painting 11.1%
    2. 2 Fuerstenhaus-Karlshorst, 1900 11.1%
    3. 3 Portrait of Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch (1808-1888), 1900 11.1%
    4. 4 Jerusalem, Mosque of Omar, 1900 11.1%
    5. 5 Jewish Chimney Sweep, 1915 11.1%
    6. 6 Two palm trees, plate from Hesse, 1923 11.1%
    7. 7 Jerusalem, Chapel of the Ascension, 1905 5.6%
    8. 8 Jerthe United States, 1926 5.6%
    9. 9 Central Park, New York, 1913 5.6%
    10. 10 Tomb of Giovanni Segantini (1858-1899), 1907 5.6%
    11. 11 Haifa V, 1900 5.6%
    12. 12 Nablus (Palestine), 1900 5.6%

    Together these works take 100.0% of all the attention this artist's paintings received over the last twelve months. The catalogue holds 30 works by this artist, of which 12 were looked at at least once. This painting ranks 1 of them, with 11.1% of that attention. The same counts, month by month

    Bars measure attention, not quality. Pick the work at the top and this one: name one thing that might make a painting famous beyond how well it is painted.

    Artist and museum

    Artist

    Hermann Struck

    Born in Berlin, Germany

    early life and education

    hermann struck, a renowned german-jewish artist, was born on march 6, 1876, in berlin, germany. he studied at the berlin academy of fine arts, where he honed his skills in painting and etching.

    artistic career

    struck's artistic career was marked by his exceptional talent in lithographs and etchings, which often featured jewish subjects and landscapes. his work was widely recognized, and he became a respected figure in the art world. notably, struck published "die kunst des radierens" ("the art of etching") in 1908, a seminal work that offered both theory and practical instruction.

    notable works and associations

    some of struck's notable works include:

    portraits of ibsen, nietzsche, freud, albert einstein, herzl, oscar wilde, showcasing his ability to capture the essence of prominent figures.

    landscape etchings from his travels, which demonstrated his skill in capturing scenic beauty.

    commissioned portraits, including those of theodor herzl, which became an iconic representation of zionism.

    zionist activism and military service

    struck was a fervent zionist and jewish activist. he visited the land of israel in 1903 and displayed his art at the fifth zionist congress. during world war i, he served as a translator, liaison officer, and military artist.

    legacy and later life

    struck's legacy is preserved through his numerous etchings and paintings, which can be found in various museums, including the kaiser-wilhelm-museum (krefeld, germany). he passed away on january 11, 1944, in haifa, israel.

    view struck's art at AllPaintingsStore

    explore hermann struck's artwork on AllPaintingsStore, featuring a collection of his etchings and paintings. for more information on struck's life and work, visit wikipedia. discover the art of hermann struck:

    the museum wayne highlands school district (united states)

    hermann struck | AllPaintingsStore

    hermann struck - wikipedia

    Museum

    Leo Baeck Institute

    On show in New York City, United States of America

    A Sanctuary of Memory in the Heart of New York

    In the vibrant tapestry of New York City, nestled within the prestigious Center for Jewish History, lies a sanctuary that transcends the traditional boundaries of a museum. The

    Leo Baeck Institute

    serves as a profound beacon of remembrance, a place where the echoes of a vanished world are preserved with meticulous care and reverence. It is not merely a repository for artifacts but a living, breathing hub of scholarly investigation, where the shadows of the past are illuminated by the light of rigorous research and cultural engagement. The architecture of the institute reflects its solemn yet forward-looking mission, designed with a deliberate and striking simplicity that avoids unnecessary ornamentation to prioritize the intellectual exploration within its walls. This architectural restraint creates an atmosphere of focused contemplation, allowing the weight of history to resonate through every corridor and offering a bridge between eras.

    The Soul of a Culture Preserved

    To wander through the collections of the

    Leo Baeck Institute

    is to embark on an intimate journey through the soul of a culture. The holdings are nothing short of extraordinary, offering unparalleled insights into the vibrancy of German-Jewish life before the darkness of the mid-twentieth century. For the art lover and the scholar alike, the institute provides an enduring connection to a legacy of profound cultural significance. The collections feature:

    Rare Jewish Books:

    Exquisitely crafted manuscripts from centuries past that bear witness to profound religious scholarship and delicate artistic expression.

    Photographic Archives:

    Poignant images that capture the faces, families, and landscapes of communities forever changed, presenting portraits of everyday individuals whose lives were woven into the cultural fabric of Europe.

    Personal Papers:

    A collection of letters and documents that serve as a window into an era of resilience and adaptation, documenting individual narratives amidst extraordinary circumstances.

    What truly distinguishes the

    Leo Baeck Institute

    is its unwavering dedication to the nuance of identity. Unlike institutions that seek breadth, the LBI focuses deeply on the specificities of German-speaking Jewry, ensuring that the intricate details of their history are never lost to generalization. Through notable exhibitions that explore everything from the intellectual currents of the Weimar Republic to the artistic responses to wartime trauma, the institute fosters a vital dialogue between the past and the present, ensuring that the indelible mark of German-Jewish culture continues to inspire, educate, and move generations to come.

    Where to read more

    Find this online

    QR code linking to the download page for Cactus

    artsdot.com/en/art/download/hermann-struck-cactus-D7RRQP-en/

    Cite this artwork

    MLA
    Struck, Hermann. Cactus. 1900, Leo Baeck Institute. https://artsdot.com/en/art/hermann-struck-cactus-D7RRQP-en/
    APA
    Struck, Hermann (1900). Cactus [Painting]. Leo Baeck Institute. https://artsdot.com/en/art/hermann-struck-cactus-D7RRQP-en/
    Chicago
    Hermann Struck. Cactus. 1900. Leo Baeck Institute. https://artsdot.com/en/art/hermann-struck-cactus-D7RRQP-en/
    Harvard
    Struck, Hermann (1900) Cactus. Leo Baeck Institute. Available at: https://artsdot.com/en/art/hermann-struck-cactus-D7RRQP-en/

    Look closely

    Cactus — Hermann Struck

    Look closely

    Answer in your own words. There are no wrong answers here — only answers you can explain.

    1. What catches your eye first, and why?
    2. Which colours or shapes create the mood — and what is that mood?
    3. Our catalogue files this work under: cactus, nature, birds. Do you agree? What would you add, or take away?
    4. Look back at Duomo and Baptistery, Florence, plate from Hesse (1923), earlier in this guide. Name two things it shares with this work, and one that is different.
    5. Hermann Struck was about 24 when this was made. What in it looks like the work of an artist at that stage?

    Your response

    Write a short paragraph about this artwork. Use the facts from the earlier parts of this guide, and your answers above.

    Questions & Answers

    How is the color composition of "Cactus" by Hermann Struck built?

    The color analysis of "Cactus" by Hermann Struck records a gentle contrast and a unified palette harmony.

    What is the emotional tone of "Cactus" by Hermann Struck?

    The emotional tone recorded for "Cactus" by Hermann Struck is tranquil. It summarizes the feeling the work expresses.

    Is "Cactus" by Hermann Struck a portrait, landscape or square composition?

    The format of "Cactus" is landscape. This is useful when planning where a reproduction will be placed.