German painter Erich Wolfsfeld’s 'forgotten' artwork to be auctioned in Knutsford (From Knutsford Guardian)

German painter Erich Wolfsfeld’s 'forgotten' artwork to be auctioned in Knutsford

4:50pm Friday 3rd July 2009

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ARTWORK by a painter who fled Nazi Germany is to be auctioned in Knutsford for about £40,000.

Erich Wolfsfeld’s paintings were discovered in a widower’s attic and brought to Frank Marshall’s in Church Hill.

Yesterday, Tuesday, the auction house said the collection was already attracting interest from other European countries.

“Erich Wolfsfeld would have been one of the great 20th century artists, had it not been for the intervention of the war and his Jewish faith,” said principal auctioneer Nick Hall.

Max Block discovered the 100 paintings and etchings in his attic in Liverpool.

His stepfather’s artwork had been given to him 20 years earlier by his late mother.

Last year, after his wife Etta died, Dr Block decided that he wanted to move to a smaller home.

So he went up in the attic to prepare for the house sale.

That was when Dr Block discovered the artwork, which he had stored and forgotten about.

“It was all just up there in his loft,” said Mr Hall.

Mr Wolfsfeld was an artist from Berlin who was praised by Kaiser Wilhelm II.

He travelled and worked in countries including Italy, Turkey and France.

During the First World War he was an officer in the army, but he still drew pictures of wounded soldiers.

However, years later, the Nazis came to power and Mr Wolfsfeld was forced to leave Germany because of his Jewish faith.

He fled in 1939 and settled in England. The artist died in 1956 aged 72.

His pictures have been on display in the National Portrait Gallery in London and Victoria and Albert Museum.

“He’s one of those great unsung painters,” said Mr Hall.

Some of the paintings are about 5ft wide and are worth between £3,000 and £5,000.

Meanwhile, some of the signed etchings could fetch between £50 and £100.

Several lots will be sold as groups and the entire collection is expected to fetch between £30,000 and £40,000.

Mr Hall said he expected phone bidders to buy most of the items next week.

“There’s a lot of international interest,” he said.

“The collectors have been asking various questions and we’ll be sending replies out this week.”

The paintings will go up for auction at Frank Marshall’s on July 7.

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