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PostWar & Contemporary
3431* GEORG BASELITZ(Grossbaselitz 1938 - lives and works in
München)
Untitled (tree). 1978.
Gouache and pencil on paper.
Monogrammed and dated lower right: GB
(possibly not the artist‘s hand resp. later
added) 18.II.78, also on the reverse with
the archive number: GBZ 354.
60.7 x 43 cm.
We thank the Archive Prof. Georg Baselitz,
Munich, for their scientific support.
The work is registered there under the no.:
GBZ 354.
Provenance:
- Probably in 1980 Galerie Neuendorf.
- Galerie Baronian, Brussels.
- Purchased from the above by the pre-
sent owner in 1989, since then private
collection Germany.
In 1969 Georg Baselitz embarked on a
search for a new form of representation,
in order to break away from the classical
conventions of painting. While up to that
date his oeuvre had been dominated
by figure painting, and he had produced
revolutionary series such as the so-called
„Helden-Zyklus“ (heroes cycle), he now
questioned these motifs and structures.
He wished to turn his attention away from
the motif and towards the painting, and so,
in the truest sense of the word, he turned
his art on its head. „An object painted on
its head is suitable for painting, because
it is unsuitable as an object and free of
value. Moreover, this method irritates and
shocks; it shows an aggressive attitude,
which, as a demonstration of the seri-
ousness of my action, I find to be good.“
(cit. Georg Baselitz, in: Exh. Cat. Georg
Baselitz. Gemälde und Arbeiten auf Papier
von 1971-2004, Galerie Henze-Ketterer,
Wittrach Bern, p. 8)
„Der Wald steht auf dem Kopf“, today
in Museum Ludwig, Cologne, is the first
important painting using this new form of
representation. By turning the motif 180°,
on the one hand he removes from the mo-
tif its status as object, and on the other he
challenges the viewer’s way of seeing and
thinking. Although the technique and motif
are deeply rooted in classical art history,
through this inversion he achieves an ope-
ning up of the conventions of painting.
The present watercolour is also to be
seen in this respect. At first sight, Baselitz
denies the viewer access to this work - set
upside down, the tree appears initially
more like an abstract form. The colouring
in blue and black also gives us no indication
of what is depicted. It is only on longer
contemplation that the bare, inverted
tree reveals itself. He powerfully combines
classical painting with a traditional subject
which is deeply symbolic for Germany, with
one of the most radical new approaches to
form in the art of the 20th century.
CHF 18 000 / 26 000
(€ 16 670 / 24 070)