Walter Leistikow

Private Collection, Berlin

Grisebach, Berlin, 29 June 2001, lot 17

Private Collection, Northern Germany (acquired at the above sale)

Acquired by descent from the above by the present owner

• A magnificent and evocative depiction of the Brandenburg landscape, a central theme for the artist.
• Executed circa 1895, during the height of Leistikow's Secessionist period.
•  Presents the artist's pioneering use of color and reduced form in German landscape painting, demonstrating his subtle and atmospheric command of light and reflection.

This work, Märkischer See bei Sonnenuntergang, captures the unique beauty of the Brandenburg Lake landscape at twilight. The composition is defined by deep green trees and the pale-yellow hues of the setting sun dominate the upper register, reflecting upon the smooth expanse of the lake below. Conveying a sense of profound stillness and temporal transition characteristic of Symbolist aesthetics.

The present work is a quintessential example of Leistikow's known style, subject, and technique, confirming his vital role in the transition from traditional Realism to German Modernism. The artist’s career was intrinsically linked to the Märkisch region, which he used not merely as a subject, but as a vehicle for atmospheric and emotional resonance. The distinctive, almost monochromatic quality of his palette is here elevated by the subtle sunset, demonstrating his mastery to evoke mood rather than purely describe reality.

Walter Leistikow’s significance is routinely explored in museum contexts focusing on late 19th and early 20th-century German art. Notably, his work has been included in major exhibitions examining the formation of the Berlin Secession, such as the significant survey at the Staatliche Museen zu Berlin reinforcing his lasting institutional relevance within German art history.