Lot 403 N

The Vaud region situated along Lake Geneva had already made an impression on the young Oskar Kokoschka in 1910: he had just begun enjoying his first successes in Berlin through the support of Herwarth Walden at his gallery Der Sturm and had become able to indulge in more substantial journeys. However, it was not until 1953 that he would fulfil a long-cherished wish by moving from London to Villeneuve, on the shores of Lake Geneva. After the unsettled years spent seeking refuge in Prague from 1934 and London from 1938, the 67-year-old artist found peace and was able to live out his years without worries and presumably also without outward disturbances. In the paintings, drawings and watercolours he created during this period, a connection to the rhythm of the year can sometimes be discovered in the changes to the nature found accompanying his generously proportioned, flower- and tree-filled garden surrounding his house on the lake. Kokoschka created many of his cherished “Fingerübungen” here, including this “Blick in den Garten” filled with summery lightness and a light-filled transparency. With just a few colours, Kokoschka has expertly captured the delicate green of the trees, caused the blue of the sky to shimmer between their branches and, at the same time, renounced the use of black contouring. What emerges is a summer garden “breathed” perfectly on to the page: a pure watercolour in an authentic technique which the artist displayed throughout his life.