Early 20th-Century German School, Town View With Evening Light

Early 20th-Century German School, Town View With Evening Light

This early-20th-century oil on canvas depicts a town gently lit by the last embers of the day. The sky is a swirl of tonal intrigue as a church spire juts through the horizontals. Smoke rises from a chimney, almost as a question mark set against grey.

The style of this work is synonymous with the post-impressionists - such as Paul Cézanne and Vincent Van Gogh. This disparate group of liberal thinkers sought to overcome the constraints of representing a subject faithfully in favour of portraying a feeling - a subjective glance upon the world around us. After all, what do any of us really see when our experiences are viewed through the filters of our own imagination?

By painting a feeling, the post-impressionists were painting themselves. Every work was a self-portrait. When we consider Van Gogh’s sunflowers, we learn more about the artist than we do about botany.

Here, in this view of a town, the artist is trying to capture more than aesthetic accuracy - they’re conveying a mood. The evening sky flickers and twists while the static rooftops converge into angular planes with bold lines. How do you feel? Perhaps there’s a sombre element? Or do you find peace?

Signed R Breitfeldt in the lower left and held within a later frame.

Medium: Oil on canvas
Overall size: 33” x 29” / 84cm x 74cm
Year of creation: c. 1930
Condition: Artwork presents well. Frame with some light wear.

Conservation & History

We care profoundly about our role as custodians and every piece in the collection has been assessed by our conservator. When required, we undertake professional restoration carefully using reversible techniques and adopt a light touch to retain the aged charm of each work. We also often restore frames rather than replace them as many are original and selected by the artists themselves.

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