Gabriel Cornelius Ritter von Max

Gabriel von Max painted pale, mysterious women, saints and visionaries in soft, shadowy light. Many of his pictures have a haunting stillness, and his interests in spiritualism, science and evolution run through them. He is also remembered for his paintings of monkeys, often shown as thoughtful critics or scholars.

He was born in Prague and studied at the academies of Prague, Vienna and Munich, where he trained with Karl von Piloty. His Martyr at the Cross of 1867 made his reputation. He taught at the Munich Academy and was made a member of the Bavarian nobility in 1900. He kept monkeys at home to study them and built a large collection of natural history and anthropological objects.

Abelard and Heloise and Girl in Bed show his gift for quiet, emotional scenes. Look at how faces emerge from dark backgrounds.