Lot Essay
Pechstein, like Emil Nolde, was fascinated by the primitive and wanted to experience at first-hand native societies in their unspoiled environments. This desire led him to travel to the South seas of Palau in 1914. His dealer and friend, Wolfgang Gurlitt, who promoted Pechstein's work at the time, financed the artist's trip to the Pacific islands. On 9 May 1914, Pechstein and his wife, Lotte, begun their six week boat trip to the archipelago of Palau, where he first settled in the Southern island of Angaur, where the present work was painted.
Moving on from Angaur a month after his arrival, Pechstein travelled to the main Palau island of Baobeltaob, where the german administration was housed at Melekeiok. This is where he probably met the director of the South sea Phosphate Company, Lippert, to whom he gave the present painting. Pechstein's sojourn on the island (which was meant to last two years) was interrupted by the outbreak of World War I and the artist was obliged to return to Germany and joined the army by 1915.
According to Barbara Lulf, Monsunstimmung in Palau is the only known oil on canvas painted in the islands of Palau, which has survived to this day. The other so-called 'Palau' paintings were executed in his Berlin studio after sketches he had drawn earlier on the islands.
Moving on from Angaur a month after his arrival, Pechstein travelled to the main Palau island of Baobeltaob, where the german administration was housed at Melekeiok. This is where he probably met the director of the South sea Phosphate Company, Lippert, to whom he gave the present painting. Pechstein's sojourn on the island (which was meant to last two years) was interrupted by the outbreak of World War I and the artist was obliged to return to Germany and joined the army by 1915.
According to Barbara Lulf, Monsunstimmung in Palau is the only known oil on canvas painted in the islands of Palau, which has survived to this day. The other so-called 'Palau' paintings were executed in his Berlin studio after sketches he had drawn earlier on the islands.