Conrad Felixmüller

Heinrich Kirchhoff, Germany
A. Dumas, Paris
Hanley Collection
Margit Chanin (sale: Parke-Bernet Galleries, New York, 14th June 1967, lot 276)
Mrs Molnar
Kittrick Collection (sale: Sotheby's, New York, 8th October 1986, lot 187)
Galerie Neher, Essen (purchased at the above sale)
Acquired from the above by the present owner

The canvas is lined. UV examination reveals a small area of retouching above the leftmost house and a further few tiny spots in the cloud of smoke. There is some scattered craquelure throughout the composition. There are some very light stretcher marks along all four edges. The canvas is slightly undulated in places, mainly towards the extreme lower edge. Otherwise, this work is in overall good condition.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Ruhrrevier III belongs to a group of paintings widely regarded to be the finest of Felixmüller's career. After winning the 'Sächsischen Staatspreis' in 1920, the artist decided to spend the grant on a stay in the heavily industrial area of the Ruhr, also known as the Ruhrrevier. Deeply moved by the grim working conditions of miners and their families he wrote that 'I can barely describe how I felt when I saw the first coal mine. My heart stopped, unable to believe that people with their coal-picks and headlamps actually left behind the wonderful sunshine of the surface-world and descended into the vast depths of these coalmines.' (Conrad Felixmüller 'Meine Reise ins Ruhrgebiet' included in 'Brief an Heinrich Kirchhoff', 1920 in Arbeit und Alltag, (exh. cat.), Gallerie Remmert und Barth, Düsseldorf 1986)

Even though Felixmüller did not portray any human beings in Ruhrrevier III, their presence dominates the scene. The dark mechanised landscape is entirely manmade, trees are replaced by tall red chimneys, rivers by pipelines, mountains by piles of coal and the clouds in the sky consist of thick black smoke. The miners themselves have been swallowed up by their own creation, hidden behind pitch black doors, windows or underground, risking their lives for the black gold of an industrialised world.