Otto Antoine

This article relies largely or entirely on a single source. Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page. Please help improve this article by introducing citations to additional sources. Find sources: "Otto Antoine" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (January 2022)

Otto Antoine (22 October 1865, Koblenz - 14 July 1951, Unteruhldingen) was a German cityscape painter and commercial artist, in the Impressionistic style.

Otto Antoine (1865-1951) For almost half a century, Otto Antoine was considered an important representative of cultural Berlin. In countless descriptions, he documented Berlin from the 19th century to the first half of the 20th century - for artist friends, he was "The Painter of Berlin". Otto Antoine gained his fame as a "post painter". The postal authority, in whose service he had been since 1883, recognized the artistic talent of the young official early on and generously supported him.

Otto Antoine’s father Georg Antoine, a watchmaker, and his wife, Marie née Roesgen. While still very young, he displayed an aptitude for art, and was apprenticed to a local painter after completing his secondary education. Economic circumstances prevented him from pursuing that goal so, at the age of eighteen, he entered the civil service and became a clerk at the post office in the Lützel [de] district of Koblenz. He continued to practice drawing and painting after work, and was often assigned to do calligraphy, due to his elegant handwriting.^[1]

When the Secretary of the Post Office, Heinrich von Stephan, became aware of his talent, arrangements were made for him to study in Berlin. He went there in 1891, enrolled at the Prussian Academy of Art, and studied landscape painting. His most influential instructor was Franz Skarbina.^[1] While studying, he worked at the Oberpostdirektion [de], where he painted façades and small murals, depicting post offices.

In 1902, he was appointed an assistant at the Postal Museum; selecting, processing and copying images for inclusion. Occasionally, he helped to oversee their postage stamp collection. For many years, he was allowed to use his office as a studio for his own artwork which, by then, consisted almost entirely of Berlin cityscapes. In addition to painting, he was a talented graphic artist; designing New Years cards, invitation cards, advertisements and more.^[1] He was also a member of the Verein Berliner Künstler [de] (Artists' Association), and a regular participant in the Große Berliner Kunstausstellung.

He was promoted several times; culminating in a seat on the Amtsrat [de] (Council of Directors) in 1920. Only four years later, the reorganization following hyperinflation eliminated that position. He retired in 1930.^[1] Under pressure from the Nazi government, his style after 1933 became more realistic, as did that of most artists. In 1935, he visited one of his daughters in Chicago, and drew sketches of the city.

In 1942, his home and studio, where he had lived for forty years, was bombed, so he and his wife went to live in Silesia. Many of his works were destroyed then, or lost later. They settled in a small village on Lake Constance in 1944, where he continued to paint, and he died there in 1951, aged eighty-five. His remains were taken to Berlin and interred at the Friedhof Wilmersdorf. Even now, there is no complete list of his surviving works, or where they are located.^[1]

Antoine’s grandson, Fred Albright, described the most dangerous time of his grandfather’s life. According to Albright, Antoine resented Hitler’s censorship of “avant-garde” art and forced membership into the state controlled Reich Culture Chamber. Antoine protested by painting Hitler as the devil. Somehow word of the paintings were leaked outside of Antoine’s friend group and he was visited by nazi investigators. Albright said the his grandfather denied painting the works, but was “beat up” and some personal art destroyed. After the war, Antoine admitted to Albright that he painted Hitler as the devil.

Otto Antoine’s Personal Collection.

In the early 1990’s, Fred Albright sold some of his grandfather’s paintings to a young couple who were buying their first home. Todd and Nohemi Barrowcliff bought several large paintings and proudly displayed them in their small California home. A few years later, Fred Albright offered to sell the entire Antoine collection to the couple with two conditions. First, the art cannot be “pieced out” for sale. Secondly, and most importantly, the collection needed to be studied and published. The couple made the promise and bought the art for little money.

The Collection Today (2025)

Todd recently retired from his public school position and move to East Texas to be with family. Todd and Nohemi began the task of sorting the 200+ piece collection by calling the University of Texas, Dallas and asking the art history department Chair for direction. Dr. McDonald, an expert on lesser known German artists, surveyed the collection and was more than impressed. The collection may be the largest single-artist collection of its type in North America. Kathleen Langone, Podcaster/Writer and distant relative of Otto Antoine published a wonderful overview of Antoine in her podcast series People Hidden in History (2022).

Todd and Nohemi Barrowcliff are actively looking for a University, Family or Corporate Foundation or individual to acquire the complete collection including 200+ pieces of art, personal photographs, letters, notes, personal items, and the URL ottoantoine.com. The Barrowcliff’s, albeit legally difficult, prefer the collection be studied, published and shared to the public.

• Hübner, Hans: "Der Maler von Berlin und Postmaler Otto Antoine (1865–1951)", In: Post- und Telekommunikationsgeschichte, DGPI, Vol.2/2001.
• "Otto Antoine – Berlin wie es war – Ölbilder und Aquarelle", exhibition brochure, 15 November-10 December 1950, Haus am Waldsee.
• Rudolf Pfefferkorn: "Otto Antoine – Das alte Berlin im Bild – Gemälde und Aquarelle", exhibition catalog, 21 January-5 March 1966, Rathaus Wedding
• (in German) Antoine, Otto. In: Allgemeines Künstlerlexikon. Die Bildenden Künstler aller Zeiten und Völker (AKL). Band 4, Seemann, Leipzig 1990, ISBN 3-598-22744-2, S. 290

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Otto Antoine.

• More works by Antoine @ ArtNet