Gustl Stark

Small Nude / - Abstract Figurativity -

1946

Conrad Kiesel (1846-1921), The gift of flowers. Oil on wood, 43 x 35 cm, 69 x 61 cm (frame), signed at lower left "Conrad Kiesel pxt [pinxit]", about 1900. In a magnificent gilt stuc...

Andreas Thomas Juuel (1816 Copenhagen - 1868 Copenhagen). Summer landscape with tall deciduous trees by a lake. Oil on canvas, 54,5 x 42 cm (visible size), 71 x 58 cm (frame), signed...

Magda Kremer (*1942 Hengelo), Children with geese in the light of a summer evening. Oil on canvas, 40 x 50 cm (inside measurement), 52 x 62 cm (frame), signed by hand with "M.[agda] ...

Pierre Louis De La Rive (1753 Geneva - 1817 Geneva). Two countrywomen with a donkey. Oil on canvas, mounted, 27 x 20 cm (visible size), 37 x 31 (frame), monogrammed "P.R." at lower right. About the artwork De La Rive has taken the typical scenes of Dutch landscape genre paintings...

Jan Hillebrand Wijsmuller (1855 Amsterdam - 1925 ibid.), Late Summer River Landscape, oil on canvas, relined, 34 x 56 cm (inside measurement), 43 x 64 cm (frame), signed J[an] H[illebrand] Wijsmuller at lower right. - in good condition, the frame with isolated bumped spots - Realistic Impression - About the artwork The panoramic landscape format shows a river landscape, with the course of the river, which curves to the right, leading the eye into the depths of the picture and tempting it to continue the landscape in the imagination beyond the visible area. At the same time, however, the fact that the landscape is not visible through the bend in the river focuses our gaze on the entirety of the landscape depicted, without prompting us to focus on distant details. Accordingly, the brushstroke is not designed to render details with realistic precision. In the front left area of the river there is even a completely free brushwork, trained by Impressionism, which nevertheless remains committed to representational and convincingly suggests the movement of the water. Regardless of the distance of the observer, the entire picture is painted with the same broad brushstroke, so that the landscape is given as an impression. And yet this impression is not ephemeral, as in the case of French Impressionism, to put it exaggeratedly, but reveals to us the essence of the landscape in all its richness. This is why the Dutch variant of Impressionism is always also a realism, although the pictures appear less progressive, but still contain a dimension of landscape painting that is lost with progress. In the impression, the reality of the landscape is revealed, and this happens as we experience the landscape in the visual impression. Wijsmuller does not depict houses or people in order to allow the experience of the landscape to fully unfold. The experience is determined first and foremost by the river, which does not flow into the picture from our point of view, but towards us. Where the river begins to bend, the water is churned by a rapids. Toward us, the riverbed widens and the water comes to rest, covering the entire width of the foreground like a mirror. The stillness of the water corresponds to the evening mood of the late summer landscape, in which the warm tones of the evening light blend with the yellow and brown tones of the plants. A gentle, almost idyllic reality, carried by the brushstroke, yet animated by a liveliness that is also made visible by the brushstroke. The broad, dynamically placed brushstrokes evoke the movement of the treetops and animate even the immobile reeds, while the trunks on the right bank, executed in virtuoso white strokes that seem like markings, make the sunlight shine. On the other bank, a carpet of light also spreads out, its energetic effect again expressed in the brushstroke. The dynamic of the landscape is further enhanced by the complementary color contrasts between the greens, yellows, and browns on the one hand and the blue of the all-encompassing sky on the other. A contrast that is intensified by the reflection in the water. The evening coming to rest of the landscape is thus at the same time an all-encompassing contrasting and yet in itself harmonious movement. This reality becomes accessible to us as an experience in the impression of the landscape. About the artist Jan Hillebrand Wijsmuller entered the Royal Academy of Arts in Amsterdam in 1876 and studied under the innovative Professor August Allebé, who was famous for the Amsterdam Impressionism, also known as the Allebé School. In 1877, Wijsmuller transferred to the Hague Academy of Art, and thus to the Hague School, and then completed his studies at the Brussels Academy of Art. Returning to the Netherlands, Wijsmuller opened his own studio in Amsterdam. In 1883 he won the prestigious Young Artist Award, donated by Willink van Collen, which made Wijsmuller a well-known and sought-after artist. Wijsmuller was a member of the Societät Arti et Amicitiae Amsterdam and the Pulchri Studio in The Hague. Wijsmuller belongs to the second generation of the Hague School. While Vincent van Gogh described the protagonists of the first generation to his brother Theo as "the great gray people," the second generation, and Wijsmuller in particular, used a much more colorful palette. His oeuvre makes him a major player in Dutch Impressionism...

Balthasar Denner (1685 Hamburg - 1749 Rostock). Mary Magdalene. Oil on copper, 37 × 32 cm (visible size), 45 x 40 cm (frame), signed and indistinctly dated "Denner 17(...)" at centre...

This oil on canvas painting exemplifies the skill inherent in all of Girbent's work. The work, "Painting (After Rubens), is in fact a painting in the sty...

"Embers," is an original oil painting by Tenaya Sims. It is framed and ready-to-hang.

"Tapestry," is an original oil painting by Tenaya Sims. It is framed and ready-to-hang.

Stunning monochromatic realistic contemporary figurative portrait painting by Sullivan Giles. Size 40 x 30 inches. Oil on canvas. The figures Giles depicts are often self-portraits...

"Ajala Travel" by Abdullateef Salaudeen is a captivating artwork that invites viewers into a world of wanderlust and exploration. The piece centers around a young man, adorned with a...

This striking artwork captures the essence of a shirtless young man in a moment of profound contemplation. His gaze, both pained and optimistic, fixated upon an unseen horizon, offers a captivating entry point into the complex emotional narrative that underlies the piece. Salaudeen's use of color is masterful, drawing viewers' eyes immediately to the central figure. The young man's skin is rendered in a palette of subtle, earthy tones, emphasizing his vulnerability and humanity. The absence of a shirt lays bare his raw emotions and exposes the vulnerability we all share when facing adversity. However, it is the juxtaposition of the man's countenance that truly captivates the viewer. The artist has masterfully crafted an expression that is simultaneously heavy with the weight of the world and imbued with an undeniable glimmer of hope. The furrowed brow and furrowed lips are etched with the lines of a thousand struggles, yet his eyes betray a flicker of optimism. This duality is what makes "Help is Coming" so compelling; it encapsulates the human experience of confronting adversity, where pain and hope often intermingle in the most profound ways. The title, "Help is Coming," adds depth to the narrative woven into the piece. It suggests that, despite the pain etched onto the young man's face, there is a belief in a brighter future, a conviction that support and relief are on the horizon. This message resonates with viewers on a universal level, serving as a reminder that even in the darkest moments, there is the potential for change and improvement. Salaudeen's technique also deserves special mention. His meticulous attention to detail is evident in the fine lines and textures that make the young man's skin seem almost tangible. The background, although abstract and dreamlike, subtly hints at the broader context of the man's struggles, inviting viewers to interpret the piece through their own experiences and perspectives. "Help is Coming" is more than just a static image; it is a visual poem that speaks to the shared human experience of pain, resilience, and hope. It encourages us to reflect on our own journeys, reminding us that, no matter how daunting the challenges we face, there is always the potential for relief and redemption. In a world often filled with chaos and uncertainty, art has the power to provide solace and inspiration. Abdulateef Salaudeen...