Pfeffer fresser (Three toucans on a branch)

Martin Erich Philipp

Austrian born artist Martin Ehrich Philipp also worked in the U.S. He is best known for his color woodcuts, particularly bird and floral subjects and appears to have had an active market in the United States.

Philipp creates a dynamic between three toucans perched on a branch - a pair facing outward, a single facing in - that is at once simple and humorous, as the viewer imagines a conversation, or perhaps a disagreement, between the trio much like humans on a bench.

A prolific German woodcut artist, Philipp was greatly inspired by nature and in particular by birds. His work displays a particular fascination with the unique qualities of their communication, portraying them in various states of hierarchical exchange, with leaders, followers, and all the drama that ensues. He depicted humans through the same intimate lens, poking fun of idiosyncrasies of men and women with fondness.

On-line raisonne at: http://gerrie-thefriendlyghost.blogspot.com/p/philipp.html