Max Beckmann (1887-1950)

Sonnenaufgang

Details

Max Beckmann (1887-1950)
Sonnenaufgang
signed and dated 'Beckmann F 29' (upper left)
oil on canvas
24 x 32 inches (60 x 81cm.)
Painted in 1929

Provenance

Heinrich Fromm, Munich, by whom purchased directly from the Artist.
Galerie Günther Franke, Munich, from whom purchased by the late husband of the present owner in the 1950s.

Literature

The Artist's Handlist, Frankfurt, 1929.
The Artlover Library, vol. V, 1931, 'Max Beckmann' (illustrated p. 32).
American Magazine of Art, no. 23, 1931 (illustrated p. 479).
Aussatt, vol. I, no. 5, 1946 (illustrated p. 23).
V.B. Reifenberg and W. Hausenstein, Max Beckmann, Munich, 1949, no.48 (illustrated).
W. Haftmann, Malerei im 20 Jahrhundert, Munich, 1955 (illustrated p.299).
E. and B. Göpel, Max Beckmann, Katalog der Gemälde, vol.I, Berne, 1976, no. 303 (illustrated vol. II, pl. 105).
F. Erpel, Max Beckmann, Berlin, 1985, no. 130 (illustrated in colour).

Exhibited

Cologne, Staatenhaus, Ausstellung des Deutschen Künstlerbundes Köln, May-Sept. 1929, no. 27.
Frankfurt, Kunstverein, Max Beckmann, Oct.-Nov. 1929, no. 63.
Munich, Galerie Günther Franke, Max Beckmann Ausstellung, July 1930, no.13.
Basel, Kunsthalle, Max Beckmann, 3-31 Aug. 1930, no. 86.
Zurich, Kunsthaus, Max Beckmann, Sept.-Oct. 1930, no. 71.
Paris, Galerie de la Renaissance, Max Beckmann, March-April, 1931.
Pittsburgh, Art Carnegie Institute Museum, Thirtieth Annual International Exhibition of Paintings, Oct.-Dec. 1931, no. 362.
Munich, Galerie Günther Franke, Stuck-Villa, Max Beckmann, June- Aug. 1946, no. 58.
Frankfurt, Städelisches Kunstinstitut, Max Beckmann, June-July 1947, no. 22.
Munich, Galerie Günther Franke, Stuck-Villa, Max Beckmann 25 Bilder aus den Jahren 1906-1949, Jan.-Feb. 1950, no. 6.
Munich, Haus der Kunst, Internationale Kunstausstellungen München, Max Beckmann zum Gedächtnis 1884-1950, June-July 1951, no.71.
Zurich, Kunsthaus, Max Beckmann 1884-1950, Nov. 1955-Jan. 1956, no. 41.
Basel, Kunsthalle, Ausstellung Max Beckmann, Jan.-Feb. 1956, no. 35.
Den Haag, Gemeente Museum, Max Beckmann, March-May 1956, no. 30.

Lot Essay

According to 'Quappi' Beckmann, between 1929 and 1932 Beckmann often began pictures in Frankfurt which he later finished in his studio in Paris. He had become fascinated with Parisian life, and only returned to Frankfurt for brief visits to correct his students' work. Sonnenaufgang is a case in point: it was begun in Frankfurt on 14 January and finished in Paris on 8 March 1929. In the artist's handlist the work was originally entitled Astronomisches Stilleben, presumably refering to the telescope. However, Beckmann later crossed this out and replaced it with the present name, thus changing the emphasis to the sunrise reflected in the mirror.

The present work is closely related to Beckmann's Grosses Stilleben mit Fernrohr (Göpel 275) of two years earlier, which is now housed in the Staatsgalerie, Munich. It has been suggested by J. M. Wolk that the book which appears in Sonnenaufgang could be Neues Kampaner Tal oder die Unsterblichkeit der Seele, by the romantic writer Jean Paul. This theory can be supported by the fact that his book entitled Saturn features in the Munich painting.

For a time, Sonnenaufgang belonged to Heinrich Fromm of Munich, an enthusiastic collector of 1920s works by Beckmann. Other paintings which he owned include Italienische Fantasie (Göpel 238) of 1925, now in the Kunsthalle, Bielefeld, and Der Eiserne Steg (Göpel 215) of 1922, now in the Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen, Dusseldorf.

More from German & Austrian Art '96

View All