MUNICH.- The boom in online auctions at Ketterer Kunst continues. This is not least owed to the excellent range of offers. Currently a large number of fascinating expressionist works on paper from a Southern German private collection shows how attractive the digital sales offer is. Bidding is possible between November 22 and December 15 on
www.ketterer-internet-auctions.com.
Particularly interesting sheets from the 1920s come from Ernst Ludwig Kirchner: The drypoint etching Begegnung in der Nacht is both a very atmospheric, as well as a technically remarkable work that has been part of a private collection for more than 30 years. On top, it is one of to date only eight known copies. While it is going to enter the race with an estimate of 4,000-6,000, the estimate of the two etchings Zeichnender Maler in Landschaft and Köpfe is at 7,000-9,0000 each. The first is a filigree and gentle atmospheric depiction of the artists beloved Swiss Alps and the to date only known copy from the second state. The latter may even be a unique work and delivers proof of Kirchners talent in the delicate yet powerful depiction of the female physiognomy.
In the drypoint etching Minette Max Beckmann eternalized his first wife Minna Beckmann-Tube in his characteristic style. Man is a key motif in the artists creation, and is in the focus of his etchings Umarmung, Der Neger and the Liegende, as well as in the drypoint etching In der Trambahn. With a clear and dissecting line the artist captures the coexistence of people from different walks of life. All five works were made in the early 1920s, a time when Beckmann created, among others, his famous Carnival series and the Selbstbildnis mit steifem Hut. They are accounts of his great mastery and show why his graphic oeuvre also contributed to his renown as one of the most important artists of the 20th century. Estimates range between 1,000 and 4,000.
A spectacular woodcut with stencil coloring comes from Hermann Max Pechstein, one of the most acclaimed representatives of German Expressionism. Made in 1912, the work Akrobaten III is particularly captivating for its strict arrangement, the expressive motif and its colors. It is estimated at 3,000-4,000.
As prominent representative of New Objectivity and one of the most renowned artists of the 20th century, Otto Dix is represented with the pencil drawing Stehender Akt, which is estimated at 5,000-7,000. Typical of works by the artist, this work is also characterized by a strong immediacy and the observers confrontation with a spontaneous and unbiased expression of a subjective experience.
Mann mit schwarzer Binde by Erich Heckel is a particularly expressive portrait. The lithograph by the founding member of the expressionistic artist group Die Brücke was made in 1913 and, with a little bit of luck, may be available for the estimate of 4,000-6,0000. So far only one copy of this rare sheet has been offered on the international auction market.
Otto Mueller, likewise member of Die Brücke, is represented with the lithograph Adam und Eva, a work with a particularly expressive flow. The graphic work in the artists typical style will enter the race with an estimate of 4,000-6,000. For Mueller lithography was the perfect technique to render his ideas of paradise, of which this sheet is a distinct example.