Lovis Corinth

Purchased from either the artist or Gallerie Alfred Flechtheim, Berlin by the great-grandfather of the present owner in the 1920s; thence by descent to the present owner

Wolfsburg, Stadthalle, Gedächtnisausstellung zur Feier des hundertsten Geburtsjahres, 1958, n.n.

Original canvas. There are no signs of retouching visible under ultraviolet light. Apart from a few very fine lines of craquelure to the bloom furthest right, this work is in very good condition, with rich colours and a strong surface, and ready to hang. Held in a decorative, muted gold-painted moulded plaster and wood frame.
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Painted in 1916, Rosenstillleben is a powerful example of the richly expressive brushwork and energetic painterly manner characteristic of Corinth's mature oeuvre. While Corinth's trademark rapid, wide brushstrokes and rich colour first appeared in his still-lifes as early as 1910, his succession as president of the Berlin Secession seemed to mark an increase in confidence and verve in his handling of paint. Writing about these late works, Georg Bussmann commented: 'He rejoices in painting wet upon wet, in painting colour upon colour, in smudging them and then stopping suddenly and simply allowing them to glow; there is a quality of rage in making all this into a picture, into forcing a vision to emerge' (G. Bussmann, 'Lovis Corinth: The Late Works', in German Art in the Twentieth Century. Painting and Sculpture 1905-1985 (exhibition catalogue), Royal Academy of Arts, London, 1985, p. 436).

Best known as a leader of German Impressionism, alongside Liebermann and Slevogt, Corinth's rich and worked brushstroke and vibrant palette recall Manet's still-lifes and highlight the influence of French Impressionism on his career. The dramatic brushstrokes, rich impasto and robust palette are typical of the artist's flower paintings, and his unequivocally modern vision of the natural world. The vase positioned centrally in the painting is a motif that appears repeatedly in his still-lifes, while the red, white and green tones contrast with the intense browns of the table and background, instilling a sense of dynamic equilibrium within the composition.

Corinth suffered from a degenerative illness, eventually losing all ability to use his right hand. In order to continue his craft, Corinth had taught himself to paint with his left hand years earlier. This infirmity and its challenges reignited the artist's creative drive, and his later works demonstrate a renewed vigour and bravura in his approach to painting.