This beautiful late 19th-century oil painting by German artist Karl Heffner (1849-1925) depicts a broad river scene at low tide.
A shimmering near-white glow extends beyond the horizon where the illuminated river meets the tint of the sky. The majority of the composition is light, born from a golden sliver disappearing behind trees. At low tide, the villagers flock with nets, catching supper within shallow waters. While cattle amble between mudbanks, zigzagging into a blur.
Heffner preferred the colder months - long autumnal shadows, damp riverbanks, flooded wetlands. He was unconventional and moved to England for its transient weather. Predominantly unknown back in Germany, he made a mark in British galleries, with Benjamin Williams Leader (1831-1923) a keen admirer.
Signed lower right and held within a later frame.
Medium: Oil on canvas
Overall size: 43” x 20” / 109cm x 51cm
Year of creation: c. 1880
Labels & Inscriptions: Aitken Dott & Son, Edinburgh, gallery label.
Condition: Artwork presents well. Fine craquelure but the paint is stable. Frame with some light wear. Professionally restored.
Artist’s auction maximum: £20,777
Karl Heffner was a well-regarded German landscape painter in oils and watercolours. He trained in Munich under Adolf Stademann and Adolf Heinrich Lier. His works are held in numerous public collections including at the V&A in London.
Learn more about Karl Heffner in our directory.
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