(Vienna 1829–1885) “Afrikanische Jurysitzung” (African Jury in Session), signed and dated Canon 1870, oil on canvas, 104 x 143 cm, framed, (Rei)

Exibited:
2nd International art exhibition at the Künstlerhaus, Vienna April 1870, catalogue number 102.

Provenance:
Albert and S. Kende, Vienna; auction of the stock of the antique shop of A. Satori, Vienna, 5 May 1936, lot 1107;
112nd art auction by S. Kende, Vienna 4 November 1936, lot 10;
137th art auction of the art dealer Weinmüller, Munich 27.10.1971, cat. no. 1300 (104);
German private property.

Catalogued in:
Franz Josef Drewes, Hans Canon (1829–1885), Werkverzeichnis and Monographie, Georg Olms Verlag, Hildesheim, Zürich, New York 1994, p. 236, no. 116.
A crowd of monkeys scrutinize a portrait of a monkey, while another holds a medal in front of the picture. The others are busy with paints. In the background on the right, hanging on the wall, is a self-portrait of Canon, through which runs a wide tear. As stated in the catalogue raisonné by Franz Josef Drewes, the subject deals with a reinterpretation of “Ars scimmia naturae” - humorous allegorical themes about the ignorance and conceit of Canon’s fellow painters, and ultimately an anecdotal self evaluation.” Possibly this work served as a source of inspiration for the artist Gabriel von Max for his work Monkeys as Art Critics, 1889, which can be seen in the Neuen Pinakothek in Munich. Max often spent time in Vienna, and could have seen the painting at the second International Exhibition at the Künstlerhaus. However, it must be remembered that there is a long tradition of representing animals as art critics, also evidenced by Josef Danhauser’s Dog Comedy in the Wien Museum.

We are grateful to Dr. Ralph Gleis, Wien Museum and Mag. Paul Rachler, Künsterhaus Archiv, and for their assistance in cataloguing this work.