Skip to main content

Marianne von Werekin, 'Sunrise', 1920

 

An endless line of men that tug the rope of a small boat soon disappear into murky, burning red waters beyond. Colour is fantastical, mystical and otherworldly, producing an atmosphere far from reality. This is the Symbolist work of Marianne von Werefkin, part of the German Expressionists that worked in Munich from the 1910s. A movement so often dominated by the male names of the time – Kandinsky especially – Werefkin was a vital participant, expanding the range of art produced and displayed, complementing her work with art theory and written sources, as well as creating her own Salon upon her arrival in Munich.

It is easy to get lost in biography with a piece such as this. Wasted, human potential seems to be at the heart of this work, signalled by the endless line of men pushing forward towards the edge of the picture plane. There is a sense of struggle and a universality to the suffering through the portrayal of faceless men in similar blue tones. Looking at the date produced of 1920, one might relate it to postwar anxiety. Certainly, the landscape gives off the potential of a no man’s land. Additionally, Werefkin seems to be looking further back in time for her sources perhaps through her connections to male practitioners, against losing her true individuality to contextual details. This includes her studies in Russia with Illarion Pryanishnikov, member of the Russian ‘Wanderers’ (Peredvizhniki), or with famous realist Repin who has even been adopted into the Western canon of art. Both Werefkin’s preoccupation with the working man and her grouping together of figures in a linear fashion can be linked to both of these artists, particularly Repin’s Barge Haulers. Yet with more earthy, bleached out colour tones, elongated perspective and most importantly a study of the individual, human figure, Repin does not aim for the universality that Werefkin achieved some half a century later.

Widely travelled and well educated, Werefkin had seen and synthesised much art. She spent a period of time in Lithuania and records suggest she even attempted to buy some of the work of artist-composer Ciurlionis there. Equally in Munich, she was able to look to, collaborate and engage with contemporaries – this work particularly evokes the landscapes of Edvard Munch whose natural forms bend, blend and melt together in a similar fashion. Most interestingly, Werefkin has not lost a certain tendency to academicism, albeit in a manipulated format. The line of leaning men creates a sightline further into the canvas, backed up by the leaning trees that frame the piece. All eyes lead back to the burning centre of the work in reds, oranges and yellows whirling and blurring together. Is it a sunrise? Or a sunset? Or some mystical, transcendent, spiritualising force that us as mere humans cannot grasp? Spiritualism and theosophy were powerfully felt in Russia and Munich at the time Werefkin was working and the orange globe that gives centrality to the piece perhaps suggests a divine, otherworldly entity. It could be threatening, but it could also be hopeful. It is important not to read Werefkin’s works as purely isolated, negative, lonely pieces of human suffering. The bright colours in the sky disperse outwards and reflected on the water, they suggest that soon the whole sky will be filled with light and perhaps hope.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

John Everett Millais, 'Peace Concluded', 1856

  My eye is drawn to the copy of The Times clutched in the hands of the officer. The white of the figurine on the man's knee and the white of his wife's sleeves all serve to make the white paper stand out even more on the canvas. As the title of the painting suggests, this is about the end of the Crimean War, seemingly depicting a soldier who has just returned home, surrounded by his family, but the mood is perhaps less euphoric than you might expect. The soldier seems somber and weary, and his wife has a look of concern. Although on the surface it seems to be quite a harmonious composition representing a close knit and traditional family, the positioning of the man is odd. It is his wife who takes her place at the apex of the triangular composition, the soldier is reduced to an emasculated role, perhaps an invalid, as suggested by the blanket over his legs. Her face is passive, but not exactly positive. With her arms draped around her husband, she looks posed, dutiful but not...
Post a Comment
Read more

Ernst Barlach, 'The Avenger', 1914

  On the advent of both the First World War and the artistic movement known as Futurism, Ersnt Barlach cast this work in bronze. The eye picks out an angular, horizontal form, a sense of hurried pace and strong facial features to this work by the German Expressionist artist. This piece is highly interesting when discussed in terms of the artist's oeuvre - Barlach entered the First World War with a clear attitude of patriotism. The sculpture reflects that, as the figure seemingly thrusts forward wielding a sizeable weapon above his head, leading the charge head on. Describing the sculpture as his 'raging Barbarian' it is clear that Barlach wanted to present an emotionally charged figure. Perhaps it is even a self portrait, with Barlach picturing himself as the hero. The artist did in fact serve briefly as an infantry officer. However realisation soon dawned and patriotism quickly dwindled. All of Barlach's sculptures from this point onward are influenced by the horror an...
Post a Comment
Read more

Mark Rothko, 'Light Red over Black', 1957

  My eye is not drawn to the painting itself but the title of the painting, 'Light Red Over Black'. We would automatically think that the black is on top of a red background, but Rothko has flipped this around, subverting the title just like he subverting the meaning of what it was to be an artist and what Art actually was. During this time, art was going through rapid changes, with abstract expressionism coming into full force (Rothko, Pollock). But Rothko showed that all this change was for the good, even if for him, it was short lived.  The colour red in this painting is searing and the black struggles to fully cover this velvety border, especially at the bottom of the canvas. Unlike the black squares which have a hazy quality to their edges, the red is clear and impregnable. It is hard to figure out what this represents - the Tate has suggested a window perhaps, but if it is a window then what are we looking out into? Perhaps it is night, or perhaps the viewer is catching ...
Post a Comment
Read more