Lot 15 D

In “Jakob's Traum“ Anselm Kiefer alludes to the passage from the Old Testament where Jakob lies down in a field to seek rest for the night. In his dream he sees a ladder appear and angels floating up and alongside it. God then speaks to Jakob. Often interpreted as the ladder to heaven, Jakob's vision embodies a theme of transcendence, which is often used as a mnemonic motif by Kiefer. The small robes that move along the ladder in a ghost-like fashion, give the concept of the afterlife a concrete visual anchor point. With the ladder in the center of this work, the viewer's gaze wanders along the vertical axis of the picture and, on closer inspection, discovers a wealth of different levels. An archaeological approach reveals the photograph of a wall behind and to the right autumn-like trees. At the same time, gouache and lead markings indicate Kiefer's powerful intervention in the seemingly collage-like composition. Born in 1945 Kiefer has become famous through the use of various media, whilst grappling with a variety of topics: from German history to Jewish Kabbalah, myths and religion are interwoven to offer a labyrinth and solution at the same time. In his books, paintings, collages, installations and sculptures, Anselm Kiefer brings a materiality and visual variety that is second to none. The work offered here brings all these levels together in an impressive way, making it a remarkable example of his oeuvre.