Paul Ehrenberg (1876-1949) - Catching shrimp

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For over 500 years, fishermen in the North Sea have used horses and drag nets to catch shrimp, a tradition that was once common along the coasts of France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, and Great Britain. In Koksijde, Belgium, horse-driven shrimp fishing has been documented as far back as 1502. Today, this town is the last place where this ancient practice endures. The existence of a painting made by Ehrenberg in 1913, depicting a beach scene from the nearby Belgian town of Nieuwpoort, suggests that the fishermen from this region may be featured in this work.

The method is simple: Belgian Draughts, also known as Brabant horses (tall, powerful and massive horses) pull an eight-meter-wide net, equipped with two wooden boards at the front, through shallow water at low tide. These boards stir up the sand, driving the shrimp into the net. This rare and authentic spectacle can no longer be found anywhere else in the world. In recognition of its cultural significance, UNESCO added horse shrimp fishing to its list of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2013.

About the artist:

Paul Ehrenberg (1876–1949) was a German violinist and impressionist painter, known as the brother of the composer Carl Ehrenberg and half-brother of Hilde Distel. He studied under the renowned painter Heinrich von Zügel and was a member of both the Luitpoldsgruppe and the Munich Künstlergenossenschaft. His body of work, frequently exhibited in Munich (incl. Glaspalast, Haus der Kunst), encompassed portraits, still lifes, landscapes, and animal paintings. He was married to fellow painter Lilly Teufel.

⦿ Signed l.r.: P. Ehrenberg : stretcher verso titled: ``Beim Crevettenfang. P. Ehrenberg - München``
⦿ Dimensions approx.: 70x80 cm canvas, 82 x 95 cm frame/total.
⦿ Condition: excellent: showing normal signs of aging appropriate to its period.
⦿ Period estimation: 1910-20s.
⦿ Please note: the frame comes as a gift and should be treated as such.
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