Fishermen bringing in their nets

Details

Inscribed “90.” on the reverse, probably by an unknown hand.

Exhibition:

Max Pechstein – Paintings, watercolours and prints from the years 1909-1924, Graphisches Kabinett Kunsthandlung U. Voigt KG, Bremen 1969, with b/w illus. no. 7;

Gallery Ilse Schweinsteiger, Munich 1988, no. 80, with col. illus.

Provenance:

Gallery Utermann, Dortmund;

Phillips, London 5/6 December 1990, lot 40;

Serge Sabarsky Collection/Asset, New York, since 1990;

Collection/Foundation Vally Sabarsky, New York.

Description

Pechstein’s oeuvre repeatedly contains depictions of everyday life. As in the present work, the artist focusses on ordinary people earning a living. A major theme here is the depiction of fishermen at work: fishermen going out to sea, mending nets, on the beach and, as here, catching fish. Pechstein focusses on two men directly in front of him in a fishing boat, bending over the railing with outstretched arms to haul in their nets. At the top right of the picture, his gaze wanders to two more boats with crews. Pechstein captures this moment with quick pencil strokes and skilfully applied watercolour.