Das schräge U (Studie)

Details

WALTER DEXEL (1890-1973)
Das schräge U (Studie)
inscribed ‘FESTUN /TEMP.INNEN / KANTINE‘ (on the reverse)
gouache, watercolour and pencil on paper
image: 4 1⁄8 x 2 3⁄8 in. (10.5 x 6 cm.)
sheet: 8 1⁄2 x 5 3⁄8 in. (21.5 x 13.8 cm.)
Executed circa 1928

A collection’s many journeys
The works in this family collection were carefully brought together by a passionate collector and enthusiast of the arts over a period of almost thirty years, starting in the early 1960s. Works were bought after much consideration from a few trusted gallerists, occasionally at auction, or, wherever possible, from the artists themselves. Treasures that artists including Hannah Hoch and Walter Dexel had hidden during the Second World War were finally purchased with a combination of money and charm after much discussion of their respective merits. Emerging artists including Richard Oelze and Friedensreich Hundertwasser were supported with, for example, the occasional purchase of a work. The collector would drive through the night across Germany and Switzerland to visit artist friends, attend museum openings or view auction previews. Each new purchase was shown to the family and explained and discussed before finding its place on the walls of the family home. This was not investment, this was a ceaseless passion. The collection was to be enjoyed, on the walls of the family home, and also by the general public – no museum loan request was declined and as the reputation of the rarities in this private collection grew, more museum loan requests would follow. There was a constant stream of shippers arriving at the door collecting loans for museums across Germany and the United States. The collection’s journey has continued for another thirty years in the hands of the collector’s family after his passing. Some of the masterpieces in the collection found their way to prestigious museum collections and others are now being sold, so that they can continue on the next phase of their journey.

Provenance

Private collection, North Germany.

Special Notice

Artist's Resale Right ("Droit de Suite"). Artist's Resale Right Regulations 2006 apply to this lot, the buyer agrees to pay us an amount equal to the resale royalty provided for in those Regulations, and we undertake to the buyer to pay such amount to the artist's collection agent. This lot has been imported from outside of the UK for sale and placed under the Temporary Admission regime. Import VAT is payable at 5% on the hammer price. VAT at 20% will be added to the buyer’s premium but will not be shown separately on our invoice.

Further Details

Prof. Wöbkemeier has confirmed the authenticity of this work.

Conditions of sale

Brought to you by

Micol Flocchini Head of Day Sale

mflocchini@christies.com +44 (0) 20 7389 2262

Lot Essay

This work constitutes a small study for Das schräge U, the larger oil on glass picture sold at Christie's on 24 March 2021 for 187,500 GBP. The application of colour and the pencilled outline of the composition are a clear indication of the artist’s hand, a telling example of his ingenious and creative balancing of tone and structure. The verso of the sheet shows a first study of a stage design for a 1928 theatre production of Berthold Brecht's comedy ‘Mann ist Mann’ at the Volkshochschule in Jena.
It is precisely when this work was executed, in the late 1920s, that the artist was documented to have designed stage sets for several plays by Brecht. The words in this section of the sheet (namely, ‘Festung’, ‘Kantine’, and ‘Temp.Innen’) are all key terms referred to specific stage designs for the play. While the final stage designs significantly differed from the one depicted here, both the front and the verso of the sheet remain a testament to the versatility of the artist’s talent.

More from Impressionist and Modern Art Day and Works on Paper Sale

View All