Details

Provenance

Wilhelm Schön, Sosnowiec, Poland & Germany Private Collection, Frankfurt Acquired from the above by the father of the present owner in 2002

Literature

Hans Hess, Lyonel Feininger , New York, 1961, no. 213, illustrated p. 267 Condition The canvas is unlined and there is no evidence of retouching under ultra-violet light. This work is in very good original condition. <br><br>Colours: Overall fairly accurate, although slightly richer in the original. "In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue. NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE." Catalogue Note Painted in 1920, the present work dates from Feininger's years spent in Weimar, where he joined Walter Gropius shortly after the Bauhaus school was founded in 1919. During his Bauhaus period, Feininger was in charge of the graphic workshop, and his work during his time focused primarily on prints, mostly woodcuts. Indeed, Feininger's woodcut The Cathedral featured on the cover of the Bauhaus manifesto, published in 1919. Largely preoccupied with his graphic work, he produced a relatively small number of oils, and his paintings of this period reflect a strong influence of the woodcut technique (fig. 1). This new stylistic shift in the artist's work is reflected in the strong linearity and the monochrome flat colour planes of Battle Fleet . The sharp horizontal, vertical and diagonal lines intersect and combine in such a way to create a flat, yet dynamic composition. The theme of battleships was probably inspired by the war that had ended only two years earlier, however Feininger rendered the subject with a characteristic lightness, transforming it into a playful image. Fig. 1, Lyonel Feininger, The Privateer I , 1918, woodcut

Catalog summary

Lyonel Feininger BATTLE FLEET signed Feininger and dated 1920 (upper left) oil on canvas 40 by 48cm. 15 3/4 by 18 7/8 in. Provenance Wilhelm Schön, Sosnowiec, Poland & Germany Private Collection, Frankfurt Acquired from the above by the father of the present owner in 2002 Literature Hans Hess, Lyonel Feininger , New York, 1961, no. 213, illustrated p. 267 Condition The canvas is unlined and there is no evidence of retouching under ultra-violet light. This work is in very good original condition. <br><br>Colours: Overall fairly accurate, although slightly richer in the original. "In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue. NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE." Catalogue Note Painted in 1920, the present work dates from Feininger's years spent in Weimar, where he joined Walter Gropius shortly after the Bauhaus school was founded in 1919. During his Bauhaus period, Feininger was in charge of the graphic workshop, and his work during his time focused primarily on prints, mostly woodcuts. Indeed, Feininger's woodcut The Cathedral featured on the cover of the Bauhaus manifesto, published in 1919. Largely preoccupied with his graphic work, he produced a relatively small number of oils, and his paintings of this period reflect a strong influence of the woodcut technique (fig. 1). This new stylistic shift in the artist's work is reflected in the strong linearity and the monochrome flat colour planes of Battle Fleet . The sharp horizontal, vertical and diagonal lines intersect and combine in such a way to create a flat, yet dynamic composition. The theme of battleships was probably inspired by the war that had ended only two years earlier, however Feininger rendered the subject with a characteristic lightness, transforming it into a playful image. Fig. 1, Lyonel Feininger, The Privateer I , 1918, woodcut