GEORG BASELITZ (B. 1938)Magentaaufgang
2005
signed, titled and dated 17.V.05 on the reverse
oil on canvas
250 by 200 cm.
98 7/16 by 78 3/4 in.
FootnotesProvenance
Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac, Salzburg/Paris (GB 2083)
Vonderbank Art Galleries, Berlin
Private Collection, Europe
Sale: Sotheby's, London, Contemporary Art Day Auction, 15 October 2007, Lot 314
Private Collection, Europe
Acquired directly from the above by the present owner
Exhibited
Paris/Salzburg, Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac, Georg Baselitz - Spaziergang ohne Stock, 2005, p. 25, illustrated in colour
Berlin, Vonderbank Art Galleries, Georg Baselitz 2006, p. 27, illustrated in colour
Monumental in scale and breath-taking in its visual effect, Magentaaufgang from 2005 is an outstanding work by the celebrated contemporary German artist Georg Baselitz Suspended upside down, a dense forest of majestic trees extends dramatically from the top of the canvas in the artist's instantly recognisable and expressive style. The towering trees stretch down the surface, creating a profound movement of verticality whilst a spark of bright magenta illuminates the ghostly white tree trunks against a stark black background. This assertive focus of pure colour immediately draws the viewer's gaze upwards to what would ordinarily be the sky, thus giving the name to the composition as auf gang possibly referring to a rising sun.
From 1969 Baselitz explored a revolutionary technique of painting the subject matter upside down, thereby literally turning the viewer's comprehension of the subject on its head in a ground-breaking and unconventional way of seeing. Pushing the boundaries not only for the viewer but also for himself in terms of construction, the first work that Baselitz painted upside down was fittingly of a woodland landscape titled The Wood on Its Head from 1969 and is poetically revisited here in the present work. By inverting figures and landscapes, Baselitz is able to achieve a form of radical and innovative abstraction whilst oscillating the line of figuration in his own distinctive and lyrical language.
Magentaaufgang was first exhibited at Baselitz's solo show Georg Baselitz Spaziergang Ohne Stock in 2005 at Thaddaeus Ropac. A central theme of this exhibition was the analysis and study of Edvard Munch (1863 – 1944) and his artistic methods. Renowned for his expressive compositions that discussed human angst, psychological disturbance and atmospheric landscapes, the famed Norwegian artist had a great influence on German expressionism, resonating strongly with artists such as Ludwig Kirchner and Karl Schmidt-Rottluff in the late 19th and early 20th Centuries. After years of travelling abroad, Munch purchased an estate in Ekely near Oslo where he would spend most of his time from 1916 until his death in 1944. This period was incredibly productive but also rather revolutionary for Munch as it was here that he was inspired by the changing seasons of his garden and the imposing trees in the adjacent woods. This exposure to nature resulted in monumental pieces as he was able to explore larger formats due to open air studios unencumbered by the restrictions of a small studio, and an experimentation with a brighter colour palette that would saturate his compositions.
The trees in Magentaaufgang and other works in this highly regarded series are inspired by Munch's time at Ekely. Yet it is not only the subject of nature that stirred Baselitz creatively; there is also an expression of freedom that he emulates from Munch's later liberal style and the air of haunting nostalgia that permeates Munch's body of work. When standing in front of this large canvas, one can imagine being engulfed by the trees in a moving sensory and atmospheric experience. Steeped in memory and rich with nostalgia, the present painting, like all of Baselitz's work, is a biographical vision and a personal memoir. As a young man, Baselitz applied to forestry school and this fascination and passion bleeds through the surface and calls to mind sentimental depictions of an enchanted forest, such as the German fairy tale of Hansel and Gretel.
One of the most influential artists of our time, Georg Baselitz was a leading figure in shaping a new identity for art in Germany after the Second World War, as a response to the trauma and loss from the first half of the 20th Century. Drawing upon art history and his own extensive oeuvre Baselitz rejected abstraction in favour of more recognisable subject matter, embracing the European arm of Neo-Expressionism.
With works residing in museums internationally, including Fondation Beyeler, Basel; Kunsthalle Hamburg, Hamburg; The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; The Museum of Modern Art, New York; and the Tate Gallery, London to mention only a few, this represents an opportunity to acquire a work of exceptional quality by one of the most prominent and celebrated European artists of the modern era.Read MoreAdditional informationAuction informationBuyers' ObligationsALL BIDDERS MUST AGREE THAT THEY HAVE READ AND UNDERSTOOD BONHAMS' CONDITIONS OF SALE AND AGREE TO BE BOUND BY THEM, AND AGREE TO PAY THE BUYER'S PREMIUM AND ANY OTHER CHARGES MENTIONED IN THE NOTICE TO BIDDERS. THIS AFFECTS THE BIDDERS LEGAL RIGHTS.If you have any complaints or questions about the Conditions of Sale, please contact your nearest customer services team.Buyers' Premium and ChargesFor all Sales categories, buyer's premium excluding Cars, Motorbikes, Wine, Whisky and Coin & Medal sales, will be as follows: Buyer's Premium Rates
28% on the first £40,000 of the hammer price;
27% of the hammer price of amounts in excess of £40,000 up to and including £800,000;
21% of the hammer price of amounts in excess of £800,000 up to and including £4,500,000;
and 14.5% of the hammer price of any amounts in excess of £4,500,000.VAT at the current rate of 20% will be added to the Buyer's Premium and charges excluding Artists Resale Right.Payment NoticesFor payment information please refer to the sale catalog.Shipping NoticesFor information and estimates on domestic and international shipping as well as export licences please contact Bonhams Shipping Department.Lot Symbols*Import low rateVAT on imported items at a preferential rate of 5% on Hammer Price and the prevailing rate on Buyer's Premium.ARArtists Resale RightGoods subject to Artists Resale Right Additional Premium.TPOff site storage locationFor auctions held in Scotland: Lots will be moved to an offsite storage location (Constantine, Constantine House, North Caldeen Road, Coatbridge ML5 4EF, Scotland, UK) and will only be available for collection from this location at the date stated in the catalogue. Please refer to the catalogue for further information.
For all other auctions: Lots will be moved to an offsite storage location (Cadogan Tate, Auction House Services, 241 Acton Lane, London NW10 7NP, UK) and will only be available for collection from this location at the date stated in the catalogue. Please note transfer and storage charges will apply to any lots not collected after 14 calendar days from the auction date.Related DepartmentsImpressionist and Modern ArtPrints & MultiplesPost-War and Contemporary ArtAuction ViewingsLondon, New Bond Street24 June 2023, 11:00 - 17:00 BST25 June 2023, 11:00 - 17:00 BST26 June 2023, 09:00 - 18:00 BST27 June 2023, 09:00 - 16:00 BST28 June 2023, 09:00 - 18:00 BST29 June 2023, 09:00 - 12:00 BSTConditions of SaleView Conditions of Sale
GEORG BASELITZ (B. 1938)Magentaaufgang
2005
signed, titled and dated 17.V.05 on the reverse
oil on canvas
250 by 200 cm.
98 7/16 by 78 3/4 in.
FootnotesProvenance
Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac, Salzburg/Paris (GB 2083)
Vonderbank Art Galleries, Berlin
Private Collection, Europe
Sale: Sotheby's, London, Contemporary Art Day Auction, 15 October 2007, Lot 314
Private Collection, Europe
Acquired directly from the above by the present owner
Exhibited
Paris/Salzburg, Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac, Georg Baselitz - Spaziergang ohne Stock, 2005, p. 25, illustrated in colour
Berlin, Vonderbank Art Galleries, Georg Baselitz 2006, p. 27, illustrated in colour
Monumental in scale and breath-taking in its visual effect, Magentaaufgang from 2005 is an outstanding work by the celebrated contemporary German artist Georg Baselitz Suspended upside down, a dense forest of majestic trees extends dramatically from the top of the canvas in the artist's instantly recognisable and expressive style. The towering trees stretch down the surface, creating a profound movement of verticality whilst a spark of bright magenta illuminates the ghostly white tree trunks against a stark black background. This assertive focus of pure colour immediately draws the viewer's gaze upwards to what would ordinarily be the sky, thus giving the name to the composition as auf gang possibly referring to a rising sun.
From 1969 Baselitz explored a revolutionary technique of painting the subject matter upside down, thereby literally turning the viewer's comprehension of the subject on its head in a ground-breaking and unconventional way of seeing. Pushing the boundaries not only for the viewer but also for himself in terms of construction, the first work that Baselitz painted upside down was fittingly of a woodland landscape titled The Wood on Its Head from 1969 and is poetically revisited here in the present work. By inverting figures and landscapes, Baselitz is able to achieve a form of radical and innovative abstraction whilst oscillating the line of figuration in his own distinctive and lyrical language.
Magentaaufgang was first exhibited at Baselitz's solo show Georg Baselitz Spaziergang Ohne Stock in 2005 at Thaddaeus Ropac. A central theme of this exhibition was the analysis and study of Edvard Munch (1863 – 1944) and his artistic methods. Renowned for his expressive compositions that discussed human angst, psychological disturbance and atmospheric landscapes, the famed Norwegian artist had a great influence on German expressionism, resonating strongly with artists such as Ludwig Kirchner and Karl Schmidt-Rottluff in the late 19th and early 20th Centuries. After years of travelling abroad, Munch purchased an estate in Ekely near Oslo where he would spend most of his time from 1916 until his death in 1944. This period was incredibly productive but also rather revolutionary for Munch as it was here that he was inspired by the changing seasons of his garden and the imposing trees in the adjacent woods. This exposure to nature resulted in monumental pieces as he was able to explore larger formats due to open air studios unencumbered by the restrictions of a small studio, and an experimentation with a brighter colour palette that would saturate his compositions.
The trees in Magentaaufgang and other works in this highly regarded series are inspired by Munch's time at Ekely. Yet it is not only the subject of nature that stirred Baselitz creatively; there is also an expression of freedom that he emulates from Munch's later liberal style and the air of haunting nostalgia that permeates Munch's body of work. When standing in front of this large canvas, one can imagine being engulfed by the trees in a moving sensory and atmospheric experience. Steeped in memory and rich with nostalgia, the present painting, like all of Baselitz's work, is a biographical vision and a personal memoir. As a young man, Baselitz applied to forestry school and this fascination and passion bleeds through the surface and calls to mind sentimental depictions of an enchanted forest, such as the German fairy tale of Hansel and Gretel.
One of the most influential artists of our time, Georg Baselitz was a leading figure in shaping a new identity for art in Germany after the Second World War, as a response to the trauma and loss from the first half of the 20th Century. Drawing upon art history and his own extensive oeuvre Baselitz rejected abstraction in favour of more recognisable subject matter, embracing the European arm of Neo-Expressionism.
With works residing in museums internationally, including Fondation Beyeler, Basel; Kunsthalle Hamburg, Hamburg; The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; The Museum of Modern Art, New York; and the Tate Gallery, London to mention only a few, this represents an opportunity to acquire a work of exceptional quality by one of the most prominent and celebrated European artists of the modern era.Read MoreAdditional informationAuction informationBuyers' ObligationsALL BIDDERS MUST AGREE THAT THEY HAVE READ AND UNDERSTOOD BONHAMS' CONDITIONS OF SALE AND AGREE TO BE BOUND BY THEM, AND AGREE TO PAY THE BUYER'S PREMIUM AND ANY OTHER CHARGES MENTIONED IN THE NOTICE TO BIDDERS. THIS AFFECTS THE BIDDERS LEGAL RIGHTS.If you have any complaints or questions about the Conditions of Sale, please contact your nearest customer services team.Buyers' Premium and ChargesFor all Sales categories, buyer's premium excluding Cars, Motorbikes, Wine, Whisky and Coin & Medal sales, will be as follows: Buyer's Premium Rates
28% on the first £40,000 of the hammer price;
27% of the hammer price of amounts in excess of £40,000 up to and including £800,000;
21% of the hammer price of amounts in excess of £800,000 up to and including £4,500,000;
and 14.5% of the hammer price of any amounts in excess of £4,500,000.VAT at the current rate of 20% will be added to the Buyer's Premium and charges excluding Artists Resale Right.Payment NoticesFor payment information please refer to the sale catalog.Shipping NoticesFor information and estimates on domestic and international shipping as well as export licences please contact Bonhams Shipping Department.Lot Symbols*Import low rateVAT on imported items at a preferential rate of 5% on Hammer Price and the prevailing rate on Buyer's Premium.ARArtists Resale RightGoods subject to Artists Resale Right Additional Premium.TPOff site storage locationFor auctions held in Scotland: Lots will be moved to an offsite storage location (Constantine, Constantine House, North Caldeen Road, Coatbridge ML5 4EF, Scotland, UK) and will only be available for collection from this location at the date stated in the catalogue. Please refer to the catalogue for further information.
For all other auctions: Lots will be moved to an offsite storage location (Cadogan Tate, Auction House Services, 241 Acton Lane, London NW10 7NP, UK) and will only be available for collection from this location at the date stated in the catalogue. Please note transfer and storage charges will apply to any lots not collected after 14 calendar days from the auction date.Related DepartmentsImpressionist and Modern ArtPrints & MultiplesPost-War and Contemporary ArtAuction ViewingsLondon, New Bond Street24 June 2023, 11:00 - 17:00 BST25 June 2023, 11:00 - 17:00 BST26 June 2023, 09:00 - 18:00 BST27 June 2023, 09:00 - 16:00 BST28 June 2023, 09:00 - 18:00 BST29 June 2023, 09:00 - 12:00 BSTConditions of SaleView Conditions of Sale
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.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
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.jpg "Source: Christie's")
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