Literature:

The Austrian painter and illustrator Georg Heinrich Kührner was an ardent admirer of Karl May. The author visited Vienna several times between 1898 and 1912 for extended lecture tours. It is assumed that the present portrait sketch was created in Kührner's studio during Karl May's last stay in Vienna in 1912. In an article he published in 1921 on the occasion of Karl May's 79th birthday, entitled "Karl May in Living Image," the painter retrospectively recounts that years earlier, the author had posed for him in his Viennese studio for a portrait sketch planned for an etching. Kührner, who regularly studied people and animals at ethnographic exhibitions in Vienna, had already made a name for himself as a painter of Wild West motifs and secretly pursued the goal of providing illustrations for Karl May's novels. Kührner writes: "During the unforgettably beautiful hours of our gathering, the subject of conversation was extremely varied, although I repeatedly returned to the poet's work. Once, when we were discussing the completely complete transmission of the author's conceptual complex to the reader, the poet remarked: "Yes, if only the words also had a visual form, but unfortunately I know of very few books where one could truly call the word and accompanying images one." "It's quite understandable," he continued, "every artist has his own world of sensations and ideas, and perfect congruence simply does not exist." "Despite this rather precise statement, an old heartfelt wish rose to my lips, which I dared not express. Instead, I quickly decided to fetch one of my portfolios, from whose contents I presented May with various nature studies and etchings of Native Americans, cowboys, an equestrian portrait of my patron, Colonel Cody (Buffalo Bill), and other Wild West depictions, which the poet liked so much that I gained courage and now posed the question. My long-held wish was heard; it was decided that I could try to illustrate "Winnetou" and "Oldschatterhand" in the next new edition. Unfortunately, this remained an unfulfilled joy and hope. Karl May returned home early to that realm he had so incredibly upliftingly and atmospherically sought to bring us closer to in his "Heavenly Thoughts," permeated with pure lyricism." (Georg Heinrich Kührner: "Karl May in Living Image. On his 79th birthday on February 25, 1921," in: Deutsches Volksblatt, Morning Edition, Vienna, 33rd Year, No. 11540, February 24, 1921, pp. 1+2.)