Heinrich Campendonk

Paul van Ostayen, Belgium
Private Collection, Antwerp
Sale: Kunsthaus Lempertz, Cologne, 25th May 1990, lot 52
Purchased at the above sale by family of the present owner

The canvas is unlined. There is a small thin line of retouching in the yellow pigment near the centre of the lower edge, visible under ultra-violet light. Apart from a fine stable web of craquelure, this work is in good condition. Colours: Overall fairly accurate in the printed catalogue illustration, although slightly fresher in the original. The blue and green tones are more pronounced 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."

Der Kuhhirte is a beautifully lyrical rendering of Campendonk's favourite theme, that of animals in nature. A complex mixture of human, animal and plant life, this composition illustrates the artist's firm belief in a cosmic harmony of man and nature. The stylised and vividly coloured figures are intertwined in a way that suggests the unity of all living forms. Surrounded by animals, the cowherd seems to inhabit a 'primitive', unspoilt world, far from the bustle of urban life. Like the Impressionists and Fauves before them, Campendonk and his fellow German Expressionists often ventured into nature, seeking a more peaceful, elemental environment.

 

Campendonk was a member of Der Blaue Reiter, and took part in the group's first exhibition, held in Munich in 1911. Like the other members of the group, he believed in the power of art to express the spiritual truths. While Kandinsky chose to convey his beliefs in the other-worldly through abstraction, Campendonk and Franz Marc found the expression of the spiritual and the symbolic in the animal world. In 1911, Campendonk moved to the Bavarian village of Sindelsdorf, where he joined Marc. While Der Kuhhirte is certainly based on scenes from daily life of the villagers, it represents a world fantasy and fairy-tale lyricism characteristic of Campendonk's art.