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Lot Essay
Richard Oelze est un peintre surréaliste allemand né en 1900. Après des études en Allemagne, il devient membre du Bauhaus où il étudie avec Paul Klee. En 1932, il s’installe à Paris et rencontre les artistes surréalistes et côtoie André Breton, Max Ernst, Paul Eluard, Victor Brauner et d’autres. Il est repéré par le galeriste new-yorkais Julien Lévy et reçoit une visite d’Alfred Barr, directeur du MoMa, qui lui achète un premier dessin puis un second en 1940, L’attente, l’un de ses plus célèbres tableaux. En 1940, il est enrôlé dans l’armée allemande puis est fait prisonnier. Libéré en 1945 et traumatisé par son expérience de la guerre, il ne reviendra pas à la peinture avant plusieurs années. Il participera tout de même aux Exposition internationales du surréalisme entre 1959 et 1961 à Paris et New York. Une exposition personnelle lui est consacrée en 1960 par la galerie Michael Werner. Il s’éteint peu avant ses 80 ans à Hamelin.
Richard Oelze was a German Surrealist painter born in 1900. After studying in Germany, he became a member of Bauhaus, where he studied with Paul Klee. In 1932, he moved to Paris. There, he met Surrealist artists, frequenting André Breton, Max Ernst, Paul Eluard, Victor Brauner and others. New York gallery owner Julien Lévy took notice of Oelze, and MoMA director Alfred Barr paid him a visit to purchase two drawings, including L’attente. The drawing, purchased in 1940, remains one of his best-known works. In 1940, he was drafted into the German army, then taken prisoner. Oelze was liberated in 1945. Traumatised by his war-time experiences, he would not return to painting for several years. Nevertheless, he eventually participated in the International Surrealist Exhibitions held in Paris and New York in 1959 and 1961, respectively. The Michael Werner Gallery put on a solo exhibition of his work in 1960. Richard Oelze died in Hamelin, Germany, shortly before his 80th birthday.
Richard Oelze was a German Surrealist painter born in 1900. After studying in Germany, he became a member of Bauhaus, where he studied with Paul Klee. In 1932, he moved to Paris. There, he met Surrealist artists, frequenting André Breton, Max Ernst, Paul Eluard, Victor Brauner and others. New York gallery owner Julien Lévy took notice of Oelze, and MoMA director Alfred Barr paid him a visit to purchase two drawings, including L’attente. The drawing, purchased in 1940, remains one of his best-known works. In 1940, he was drafted into the German army, then taken prisoner. Oelze was liberated in 1945. Traumatised by his war-time experiences, he would not return to painting for several years. Nevertheless, he eventually participated in the International Surrealist Exhibitions held in Paris and New York in 1959 and 1961, respectively. The Michael Werner Gallery put on a solo exhibition of his work in 1960. Richard Oelze died in Hamelin, Germany, shortly before his 80th birthday.