Lot 332 D

The still life occupies a remarkable position in Erich Heckel's oeuvre. Like no other group of works, it served him throughout his life as a mirror on to his own art - both in terms of critical reflection upon his work and the experimental development of compositional and formal ideas. At the same, Heckel always saw himself as bound less to the traditional fundamental forms of the still life than to an expansion of the boundaries specific to this genre. In his complex occupation with the theme of space, he persistently dedicated himself to variations upon this classic subject, which was not given attention by all artists of the avant-garde. With regard to his artistic legacy, “Heckel's still lifes provide an exemplary summary of the new freedom that the 'Brücke' had, as they declared, conquered for themselves relative to the 'well-established older forces' and anchor it in the reflective review of the pioneering innovations that Heckel had helped initiate as one of Expressionism's main protagonists.” (Hanna Strzoda, Das Stilleben Erich Heckels, in: exhib. cat. Erich Heckel, Schleswig/Berlin 2010/2011, p. 105) In the present work, Heckel once again takes up the poppy motif used repeatedly in his floral pieces. However, in contrast to many of his other still lifes, the artist places not a blossoming bouquet at the centre of his composition but a complete plant. At the same time, the arabesque dynamism of the poppy enters into a strongly contrasting dialogue with the ornamental surface at the painting's right edge, apparently a cut-off view of an opulent picture frame. The experimental character of this enigmatic arrangement is indicated not least by the confrontation between the dark blue background - done in the manner of an Old Master floral still life - and the biomorphic poppy plant, which seems to be imbued with an unmistakably surreal aspect.