The Quintet

Otto Plitz (1846-1910) was born in Allsted (Saxony) and probably settled soon in Munich where he died. He specilaised in genre scenes involving musicians.

This work is a fine example of the paintings produced in Munich in the second half of the 19th century, one of the main artistic centres in Germany along with Düsseldorf. The present painting shows a quintet rehearsal, a subject matter Piltz seems to have particularly favoured. The earthen palette and subject matter are characteristic of the realist movement emerged in the 1840s and influential throughout the century. Compare with similar compositions, this painting probably dates from the 1890s.