Ritter, Glocken, Lichnis, Rosen

A key figure in the German Expressionist movement and a prominent member of the Der Blaue Reiter group, Gabriele Münter is regarded as one of the most influential artists of the early 20th century. In 1931, Münter moved from Munich back to Murnau, the picturesque town in the Bavarian Alps where she had lived with Wassily Kandisky before the outbreak of World War I. This move marked a revival in her creative output, characterized by the depiction of more intimate subjects, a shift towards simplicity amidst turbulent political times. The present still life showcases Münter’s characteristic use of color and form—the flowers are rendered with vibrant hues, each petal outlined in bold, confident strokes, where the blooms seem to pulse with energy. The arrangement of the flowers seems almost spontaneous, as if captured in the act of growth itself.