Lot 362 D

This “Still Life with Pitcher and Plate of Fruit” captivates the viewer with its appealing colourfulness and the intensity of its bright, porous pigments of paint, unvarnished and partly with an admixture of sand - an effect that reminds us of antique Italian frescoes. Later, in the 1960s, the ultramarine or cobalt blue of the krater on the window sill was to gain a measure of fame through Yves Klein's so-called IKB (International Klein Blue) which was also used as a pure pigment, e.g. in sponge reliefs. In 1922, however, no one would have anticipated this. Another unusual element is the simplified one-dimensionality of the items depicted, which stands out in sharp contrast with the detailed bunch of flowers, a display that almost sparkles, and also with the arrangement of fruit on the plate. It was only three years before the creation of this still life that Peiffer Watenphul had given up his work as a lawyer in exchange for a steep artistic career that started with his studies at the Bauhaus School in Weimar. This was all the more remarkable as he had previously gained a Ph.D. in law at the early age of 22. Walter Gropius took him under his wings, and he also made friends with Schlemmer, Kandinsky, Klee, Lasker-Schüler and Schwitters, to name but a few. In 1920 he became a member of the artists' association 'Junges Rheinland' (Young Rhineland), so that his circle of friends also included Werner Gilles and Max Ernst. His works were displayed at Alfred Flechtheim's gallery. In November 1921 Peiffer Watenphul travelled to Italy for the first time, visiting Rome, Naples and Positano. The visual impressions and experiences which he gained there manifested themselves in the great freshness and immediacy of this still life of 1922.