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Lot Essay
Schlafende, painted by Heckel in 1915, witnesses of a particularly intense and traumatic moment in the life of the artist. The years of impassioned collaboration and cheerful togetherness with Pechstein and Kirchner came to an end when Heckel left Dresden. The move to Berlin, in late 1911, though a collective one, led to individualisation, even to loneliness. Heckel's style changed considerably - his colours darkened and pointed gothic lines became predominant. His attitude to perspective also noticeably changed.
During his solipsistic research in Berlin, Heckel analysed - almost dissected - Kirchner's and Pechstein's lessons. As a result, his oils of the early 1910s are manifesti of modern perspective: the planes are flattened and the figures are often viewed from an unusually steep aerial perspective.
The silhouette of the sleeping woman - most likely Siddi, the artist's companion - is traced with the dry brushstroke of the tempera, and cast against another painting by the artist, thought by Hans Geissler to be possibly lost. The arid, ascetic palette of Schlafende dramatically epitomises Heckel's Spleen during the war years, when his observant eye focussed on the depiction of "Mde', "Kranke", or "Genesende", and his creative inner fire led him away from the community and into silence and solitude.
During his solipsistic research in Berlin, Heckel analysed - almost dissected - Kirchner's and Pechstein's lessons. As a result, his oils of the early 1910s are manifesti of modern perspective: the planes are flattened and the figures are often viewed from an unusually steep aerial perspective.
The silhouette of the sleeping woman - most likely Siddi, the artist's companion - is traced with the dry brushstroke of the tempera, and cast against another painting by the artist, thought by Hans Geissler to be possibly lost. The arid, ascetic palette of Schlafende dramatically epitomises Heckel's Spleen during the war years, when his observant eye focussed on the depiction of "Mde', "Kranke", or "Genesende", and his creative inner fire led him away from the community and into silence and solitude.