How did a drawing from Dresden, which was considered lost after World War II, end up at the Getty Research Institute in Los Angeles? The sheet Standing Male Nude From Rear and Re-Study (1892) by Otto Greiner (1869–1916) was acquired by the Kupferstich-Kabinett in Dresden two years after it was created. Following extensive research into its journey to Los Angeles and its unexpected reappearance, it was returned. In the exhibition Lost. Found. Returned., the Getty Center explains the history of the drawing and offers insights into the methods used to track down artworks believed to be lost. The exhibition runs through October 18.
Otto Greiner is regarded as a leading figure among German Symbolists. A trained graphic designer, he was one of the first to experiment with the artistic potential of lithography, a medium that had previously been used primarily in advertising. He later turned to painting. The nude figure, usually set against Italian landscapes, forms a central motif in his works, as seen in the large-format oil painting Hercules with Omphale (1905), which Greiner created during his years in Rome (1898–1915). His work is characterized by an almost photorealistic style of painting, complex body poses, and unusual compositions of the figures in relation to one another and within the space. Greiner was one of the most respected members of the German artists’ colony in Rome. Almost all of his paintings are now in private collections.
