Tempera on canvas. Lower right signed and dated. Signed and dated on the reverse. Stretcher signed, dated "1925/1956" and titled. 87.5 x 97.5 cm. The Blenio Valley runs between Grisons and Uri south of the Ticino. [CH]. - Exhibited several times during the artist's lifetime, including an exhibition at the Museum Folkwang in Essen in 1964. - The depiction is based on drawings and watercolors created during Heckel's trip to the Ticino in 1925. - Through the repetition of motifs, the artist forges a link between his late work and his expressionist oeuvre from the beginning of the 20th century. - With dynamic brushstrokes, dissolved forms and an exciting cold and warm contrast, Heckel created an atmospheric and extremely modern abstract landscape scene. The work is registered in the Erich Heckel Estate, Hemmenhofen on Lake Constance. We are grateful to Mrs Renate Ebner and Mr Hans Geissler for the kind support in cataloging this lot. LITERATURE: Paul Vogt, Erich Heckel, Recklinghausen 1965, no. 1956-4 (black-and-white illu.). Andreas Hüneke, Erich Heckel. Werkverzeichnis der Gemälde, Wandbilder und Skulpturen, Munich 2017, no. 1956-3, p. 359 (illu.). --- Heinz Spielmann (ed.), Die Maler der Brücke. Sammlung Hermann Gerlinger, Stuttgart 1995, p. 351, SHG no. 571 (illu.). Hermann Gerlinger, Katja Schneider (eds.), Die Maler der Brücke. Inventory catalog Hermann Gerlinger Collection, Halle (Saale) 2005, p. 264, SHG no. 599 (illu.).
Erich Heckel, Kunstverein, Konstanz, October 8 - November 19, 1961, cat. no. 28. Erich Heckel. Zur Vollendung des achten Lebensjahrzehntes, Museum Folkwang, Essen, November 2, 1963 - January 5, 1964, Kunstverein in Hamburg, January 16 - March 1, 1964, cat. no. 60. Schleswig-Holsteinisches Landesmuseum, Schloss Gottorf, Schleswig (permanent loan from the Hermann Gerlinger Collection, 1995-2001). Kunstmuseum Moritzburg, Halle an der Saale (permanent loan from the Hermann Gerlinger Collection, 2001-2017). Buchheim Museum, Bernried (permanent loan from the Hermann Gerlinger Collection, 2017-2022)
Erich Heckel Estate, Hemmenhofen. Hermann Gerlinger Collection, Würzburg (with the collector's stamp, Lugt 6032, acquired from the above in 1985)
In the early 1920s, Erich and Siddi Heckel preferred to spend the spring months in more southern regions, particularly in the Bavarian and Swiss Alps. In later years between 1955 and 1965, they enjoyed spending spring and summer in the Alpine regions, mainly in the Upper Engadine, but also in the Ticino. It is possible that one of these later trips inspired Heckel to revisit one of his earlier watercolors, as the present painting "Im Bleniotal" from the 1950s is a reference to the closely related watercolor "Bergwasser", which he created during a trip to the Ticino in 1925 (part of the Hermann Gerlinger Collection until 2023, Ketterer Kunst, auction 539). The Blenio Valley mountain panorama lies midway between the cantons of Grisons, Uri and Ticino. Heckel staged a monumental and expressive mountain backdrop in evening light using mostly warm, rich and delicate colors to depict the evening sky, the fresh green and the peaks illuminated by the light of the golden hour. A mountain stream winds down the mountain and zigzags its way through a composition of color fields and strong shades. The clear white of the icy-fresh meltwater is also echoed in the snow-covered peaks in the background. The landscape is almost completely dissolved into dynamic color fields, dynamic brushstrokes and boldly placed accents, however, still retaining the atmospheric expressiveness of the spectacular panorama. [CH]
In good condition. Minimal craquelure. Minor rubbed spots, predominantly in the left part of the image. Small bump in left margin with minor loss of color. The condition report was compiled in daylight with the help of an ultraviolet light and to the best of knowledge
Lot Details
Tempera on canvas. Lower right signed and dated. Signed and dated on the reverse. Stretcher signed, dated "1925/1956" and titled. 87.5 x 97.5 cm. The Blenio Valley runs between Grisons and Uri south of the Ticino. [CH]. - Exhibited several times during the artist's lifetime, including an exhibition at the Museum Folkwang in Essen in 1964. - The depiction is based on drawings and watercolors created during Heckel's trip to the Ticino in 1925. - Through the repetition of motifs, the artist forges a link between his late work and his expressionist oeuvre from the beginning of the 20th century. - With dynamic brushstrokes, dissolved forms and an exciting cold and warm contrast, Heckel created an atmospheric and extremely modern abstract landscape scene. The work is registered in the Erich Heckel Estate, Hemmenhofen on Lake Constance. We are grateful to Mrs Renate Ebner and Mr Hans Geissler for the kind support in cataloging this lot. LITERATURE: Paul Vogt, Erich Heckel, Recklinghausen 1965, no. 1956-4 (black-and-white illu.). Andreas Hüneke, Erich Heckel. Werkverzeichnis der Gemälde, Wandbilder und Skulpturen, Munich 2017, no. 1956-3, p. 359 (illu.). --- Heinz Spielmann (ed.), Die Maler der Brücke. Sammlung Hermann Gerlinger, Stuttgart 1995, p. 351, SHG no. 571 (illu.). Hermann Gerlinger, Katja Schneider (eds.), Die Maler der Brücke. Inventory catalog Hermann Gerlinger Collection, Halle (Saale) 2005, p. 264, SHG no. 599 (illu.).
Erich Heckel, Kunstverein, Konstanz, October 8 - November 19, 1961, cat. no. 28. Erich Heckel. Zur Vollendung des achten Lebensjahrzehntes, Museum Folkwang, Essen, November 2, 1963 - January 5, 1964, Kunstverein in Hamburg, January 16 - March 1, 1964, cat. no. 60. Schleswig-Holsteinisches Landesmuseum, Schloss Gottorf, Schleswig (permanent loan from the Hermann Gerlinger Collection, 1995-2001). Kunstmuseum Moritzburg, Halle an der Saale (permanent loan from the Hermann Gerlinger Collection, 2001-2017). Buchheim Museum, Bernried (permanent loan from the Hermann Gerlinger Collection, 2017-2022)
Erich Heckel Estate, Hemmenhofen. Hermann Gerlinger Collection, Würzburg (with the collector's stamp, Lugt 6032, acquired from the above in 1985)
In the early 1920s, Erich and Siddi Heckel preferred to spend the spring months in more southern regions, particularly in the Bavarian and Swiss Alps. In later years between 1955 and 1965, they enjoyed spending spring and summer in the Alpine regions, mainly in the Upper Engadine, but also in the Ticino. It is possible that one of these later trips inspired Heckel to revisit one of his earlier watercolors, as the present painting "Im Bleniotal" from the 1950s is a reference to the closely related watercolor "Bergwasser", which he created during a trip to the Ticino in 1925 (part of the Hermann Gerlinger Collection until 2023, Ketterer Kunst, auction 539). The Blenio Valley mountain panorama lies midway between the cantons of Grisons, Uri and Ticino. Heckel staged a monumental and expressive mountain backdrop in evening light using mostly warm, rich and delicate colors to depict the evening sky, the fresh green and the peaks illuminated by the light of the golden hour. A mountain stream winds down the mountain and zigzags its way through a composition of color fields and strong shades. The clear white of the icy-fresh meltwater is also echoed in the snow-covered peaks in the background. The landscape is almost completely dissolved into dynamic color fields, dynamic brushstrokes and boldly placed accents, however, still retaining the atmospheric expressiveness of the spectacular panorama. [CH]
In good condition. Minimal craquelure. Minor rubbed spots, predominantly in the left part of the image. Small bump in left margin with minor loss of color. The condition report was compiled in daylight with the help of an ultraviolet light and to the best of knowledge
