Alexander Koester

Private Collection, Stuttgart (by 1924)
Private Collection (by descent from the above)
Sale: Nagel Auktionen, Stuttgart, June 27, 1998, lot 48
Sale: Sotheby's, New York, November 10, 1998, lot 321, illustrated
Galerie Michel Roche, Paris (acquired at the above sale)
Acquired from the above

The following condition report was kindly provided by Simon Parkes Art Conservation, Inc.: This work is in very good condition. The canvas is unlined. The paint layer is cleaned and varnished. Under ultraviolet light, one can see that the head of the duck nearest the viewer has received a few small retouches. There is a small retouch beneath the chin of the duck in the upper center of the composition, and retouches in the shadows beneath the ducks on either side of the more darkly feathered duck in the center. The work should be hung as is.
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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

From their first exhibition in Berlin in 1899, Alexander Koester’s paintings of ducks have attracted significant acclaim. For Koester, it was not just ducks as wildlife that were of interest, but also the spontaneous effects of sunlight on the bird’s white, beige, and grey feathers and on the reflections in the rippling water. 

In the present work, Koester takes an elevated viewpoint that pushes the horizon out of the frame, directing the viewer’s focus to the group of ducks and the dappled light striking the pond’s surface. This is the largest and most elaborate of three known variations on the same composition, the difference being that the present work has the addition of the red-headed duck just visible in the far background.  Koester has carefully studied these ducks in their natural habitat, staying true to his academic training and lending the fowl an endearing character and presence of their own.