Otto Modersohn

About the work

The painting is infused with the sparkly freshness of a spring day in May on the River Wümme in the heart of the village of Fischerhude. Depicting a scene often revisited by Otto Modersohn, it features the large boat sheds and the farmers' cottages on the banks of the Wümme, which are reflected in the softly flowing river. The entire canvas reverberates with movement and subtle vibration. Unusually for Otto Modersohn, the colours are possessed of a rare luminous transparency, combining to conjure a harmonious tranquillity, which is reinforced by the loose and fluid brush strokes. An impressive example of Otto Modersohn's plein-air painting, this work which attests to his mastery of his painterly craft at the height of his creative powers.
In his diary from 1924, he concluded:
"A painting must flow with life - everything rests on the power of the painterly imagination; it is the key to conjuring magic and wonder from the simplest of means."
and "Art is not concerned with the lesser or greater truths of nature, but with the character of the "painter". The greater the force, vibrancy, ingenuity and intimacy with which he speaks to us, the greater the art work. Consequently, the "how" is the painterly expression of freedom and mastery, the most important resource of all."
(Fischerhude, 12 October, 1925)
(Rainer Noeres)