Lot 3228 - A183 Impressionist & Modern Art - Friday, 08. December 2017, 04.00 PM
MAX BECKMANN
(Leipzig 1884–1950 New York City)
Waldgracht mit Segeln. 1943.
Oil on canvas.
Signed and dated lower center: Beckmann A. 43.
55 x 95 cm.
For the painting "Waldgracht mit Segeln" by Max Beckman, the Museo d'arte Mendrisio has requested the loan of this work for their exhibition “Max Beckmann (1884-1950)", curated by Siegfried Gohr, 28 October 2018 - 27 January 2019.
Provenance:
- Studio Max Beckmann.
- Gallery Günther Franke, Munich.
- Private collection Lichtenstein.
Literature: Göpel, Erhard & Barbara (Ed.). Max Beckmann. Katalog der Gemälde, Bern 1976, vol 1, Kat.Nr. 638, S. 386 (ill. vol. 2, plate 229).
Painted in 1943, "Waldgracht mit Segeln" was created in the most fruitful and inventive phase of Beckmann's career, while he was living in Amsterdam. He and his wife Quappi came to Amsterdam from Berlin in the summer of 1937 when the "Entartete Kunst" exhibition was held in various cities in Germany.
Beckmann calls this time a "Zwischenstation" and he retained some rather ambiguous feelings about it. Despite these difficulties, he created a third of his entire work during this period: 280 oil paintings, including five of his most important triptychs. During the war and the German occupation, the artist was able to live relatively freely, which can be felt in the present painting. He depicts a canal outside of the city with a reclining couple, and on the canal two sailing boats are visible. Below the couple, which likely symbolizes the artist and his wife, we can see a dark boat with flowers growing within. It is never easy to interpret the highly symbolic paintings of Beckmann, but this very likely represents his mental state while in this "Zwischenstation".
Beckmann himself considered this painting to be very well done, as he wrote in his diary: "Monday, 12 July 1943. Finally Odysseus, Segelboote in Waldgracht and Gelbe Frau in black-white fur brought to one height. Content." (translated from German: Göpel, Erhard (Ed.): Max Beckmann. Tagebücher 1940-1950, Munich 1955, p. 54).
Provenance:
- Studio Max Beckmann.
- Gallery Günther Franke, Munich.
- Private collection Lichtenstein.
Literature: Göpel, Erhard & Barbara (Ed.). Max Beckmann. Katalog der Gemälde, Bern 1976, vol 1, Kat.Nr. 638, S. 386 (ill. vol. 2, plate 229).
Painted in 1943, "Waldgracht mit Segeln" was created in the most fruitful and inventive phase of Beckmann's career, while he was living in Amsterdam. He and his wife Quappi came to Amsterdam from Berlin in the summer of 1937 when the "Entartete Kunst" exhibition was held in various cities in Germany.
Beckmann calls this time a "Zwischenstation" and he retained some rather ambiguous feelings about it. Despite these difficulties, he created a third of his entire work during this period: 280 oil paintings, including five of his most important triptychs. During the war and the German occupation, the artist was able to live relatively freely, which can be felt in the present painting. He depicts a canal outside of the city with a reclining couple, and on the canal two sailing boats are visible. Below the couple, which likely symbolizes the artist and his wife, we can see a dark boat with flowers growing within. It is never easy to interpret the highly symbolic paintings of Beckmann, but this very likely represents his mental state while in this "Zwischenstation".
Beckmann himself considered this painting to be very well done, as he wrote in his diary: "Monday, 12 July 1943. Finally Odysseus, Segelboote in Waldgracht and Gelbe Frau in black-white fur brought to one height. Content." (translated from German: Göpel, Erhard (Ed.): Max Beckmann. Tagebücher 1940-1950, Munich 1955, p. 54).
CHF 400 000 / 700 000 | (€ 412 370 / 721 650)
Sold for CHF 503 500 (including buyer’s premium)
All information is subject to change.