Artist of the Month – Otto von Beach

We can’t remember where we first met Otto von Beach. It could have been at Eroica Britannia or it could have been at a Victorian murder mystery party in St. Petersburg. One or the other. We could tell you about Otto ourselves, but we think he puts is so much better.

Born in 1857, his successful career as an artist was interrupted while on an expedition to Siberia in 1896. Swept away by a freak uphill avalanche, Von Beach lay frozen in the Russian ice for the next 114 years.

Discovered by a passing hiker in March 2010, his body was sent to Moscow for routine analysis. There, scientists were astonished to discover faint signs of life and immediate steps were taken to resuscitate him.

After a lengthy and painful period of thawing, he was restored to full health and reunited with his descendants.

Mr Von Beach has resumed his career as an illustrator and now shares a studio with his great-great-grandson and illustrator, Beach o Matic.

More about Beach o Matic in a later ‘Artist of the Month’.

Otto von Beach’s work is just wonderful. The research, technical detail and imagination is amazing.  We can’t look at his work without a look of awe and wonder and perhaps a little anxiety . . . just how does his brain work?

Many of Otto’s original works are printed in very limited editions. So if you really really like his work, it’s worth buying now. The last ones available always cost a little more.

We frame a lot of art at CycleMiles and have frames to fit all of Otto’s prints. They all fit A2, A3 or A4 frames. (If you can’t find them on our webshop, please just ping us an email or give us a call). We think Otto’s prints look best mounted edge to edge without any window mount.

CycleMiles has our own picture frames made using the very best quality solid wood Arqadia mouldings. When bought together with an Otto von Beach print, we will carefully frame, seal and string your print at no extra charge so that it is ready to hang. A special gift for any cycle enthusiast.