Max Kuehne (1880-1968) was an American painter, sculptor, and

furniture maker known for his vibrant landscapes and finely crafted

decorative arts. Born in Halle, Germany, in 1880, Kuehne moved to the

United States with his family in the 1890s, where he studied under

Works of Art for Consideration Toledo Museum of Art

prominent artists like William Merritt Chase (1849-1916). His work

often captured the beauty of coastal New England and the bustling

streets of New York City, blending impressionistic brushwork with a

unique sense of color and form.

The Great Depression significantly impacted his career and he began to

apply frame making techniques in gesso and silver leaf to decorative

screens, panels, and furniture. In 1932, Kuehne mounted a solo show of

his furniture and eight screens at the Arden Gallery in New York,

demonstrating the popularity of his decorative art designs. Something of

a Renaissance man, Kuehne once described his range of skills to a

collector: "I am a carpenter, a designer, a painter, and a gilder."