MICHEL FINGESTEN (Butschkowitz 1884 - 1943 Cerisano) Cupid, 1915 etching/paper 12,7 x 17,3 cm signed Fingesten, dated 15 titled "Der Scharfschütz" (the sharpshooter) ESTIMATE °€ 20 - € 30 STARTING PRICE € 20 The Austrian painter and graphic artist Michel Fingesten (actually Michael Fingelstein) was one of the most prolific designers of bookplates of the 20th century. At the age of 16 he began studying at the art academy in Vienna, where Oskar Kokoschka was studying at the same time. From 1902 to 1906 he travelled to America and Australia. In 1907 he returned to Europe. From Palermo he crossed Italy and travelled to Germany via Trieste. Fingesten then stayed temporarily in Munich, where he undertook studies in Franz von Stuck's studio. During this time he mainly worked on small-format graphics and caricatures. He then went to Berlin. From 1913 he concentrated on etching. In 1914 he married the buyer Bianka, née Schick. The marriage ended in divorce in 1932. In 1916 his son, the sculptor Peter Fingesten, was born. In 1922 he was busy with the sets of the films "The Shoes of a Beautiful Woman" and "Don Juan". In 1935 he returned to Italy to visit his family in Trieste and settled in Milan. During this time he engraved around 500 bookplates, including: 1936 for d'Annunzio. In 1937, Fingesten's works were confiscated during the "Degenerate Art" campaign in Germany. In 1940 he was arrested and interned as a foreigner until southern Italy was liberated by the Allies. Don Giuseppe Savaglia commissioned him to paint a picture of a saint. This picture is significant not only because it was the painter's last work, but because he returned to painting at the end of his life. Further artists and styles: Oskar Kokoschka, Franz von Stuck, Peter Fingesten PLEASE NOTE: The purchase price consists of the highest bid plus the buyer's premium, sales tax and, if applicable, the fee of artists resale rights. In the case of normal taxation (marked °), a premium of 24% is added to the highest bid. The mandatory sales tax of 13%, for photographys 20%, is added to the sum of the highest bid and, the buyer's premium. The buyer's premium amounts to 28% in case of differential taxation. The sales tax is included in the differential taxation.