Alexander Koester

Private Collection
Thence by descent

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.

Like the Impressionists, Koester was intrigued by the fleeting play of light on rippling water, leaves in the wind and the rhythmical qualities of ducks moving in gracious formation, giving his paintings a distinctly lyrical quality; it is likely no coincidence that Koester was an accomplished violinist and collector of the instrument.

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 golden sunlight striking the ground. The artist carefully rendered each duck and revisited this composition at least three times with minor edits to the number of ducks in the background and the direction in which their heads point. 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.