The German artist Adolf Bock may be considered one of Europe’s foremost marine painters. Because of his extensive knowledge about ships, he attracted a great deal of attention from both nautical and artistic circles alike. As a sailor in the German navy, Bock had a trained eye for details. His obituary reads:
‘Professor Bock had no difficulties when it came to obtaining a thorough knowledge of the conditions he wished to convey: ships with sails, in storm, in calm, in fog and in sun. He was well acquainted with the richness of detail in the rigging and functions of sailing ships. He sailed with them and learned to portray the ships as well as the sea in a true-to-life manner, and yet with the air of romance associated with sailing-ships.’ (From the magazine Finsk Sjöfart, 1968)
Adolf Bock also produced a large number of postcards. In Finland, most of these postcards were published between 1932 and 1936 by the Tilgmann publishing house, Kuvataide Oy. However, they were also published abroad.
Bock was frequently commissioned as an illustrator of German, Swedish and Finnish magazines and books. For example, in 1926, the Finnish magazine, Suomen Kuvalehti, published his drawings of the maiden voyage of the Finnish icebreaker Jääkarhu.
As a member of Verein Berliner Künstler (the Association of Berlin Artists), Bock was given the title of Professor in 1944.
