Stefan Bleekrode

Prospectus Magni Canalis Venetianum By Stefan Bleekrode

2021-22

Otto Eerelman 1839-1926 Dutch Concours de Chiens au Promenade Watercolor on paper Signed “O. Eerelman 1904” (lower left) A tour de force watercolor by celebrated Dutch artist Otto Eerelman, one of 19th-century Europe's most popular and important animal portraitists, this charming composition captures a bustling cross-section of fashionable elites walking their equally fashionable canine companions. Eerleman takes care to render the detailed attire of his subjects, complete with plumed hats and layers of lace trim. The artist paints the plethora of pets in equally painstaking detail, capturing the nuances of each different breed represented. Eerelman mastered the art of depicting not only the dogs’ physical characteristics but also their unique expressions and personalities. His wealthy clientele would bring their pets to his home in The Hague where they would live for a period of time while having their portraits done, allowing for a remarkably true-to-life portrayal. This energetic watercolor, with its profusion of color and texture, harnesses the affluence of its subjects and the leisurely whimsy of their luxurious lives. Hailing from Groningen, Netherlands, Eerelman was dubbed the “Northern Rembrandt” during his lifetime. He received his artistic training at the Academy Minerva in Groningen, the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp and then private lessons in the studio of the great Lawrence Alma Tadema. He successfully captured the attention of the Dutch court, particularly Princess Wilhelmina...

Emil Nolde 1867-1956 German Marschlandschaft (mit drei Häusern) Marshland (With Three Houses) Signed “Nolde” (lower right) Watercolor on Japan paper A work of engaging richness and emotion, Marschlandschaft (mit drei Häusern) invites the viewer directly into the heart of the intuitive, poetic world of Emil Nolde. An essential figure in the German avant-garde, Nolde’s highly modern oeuvre stands as an important precursor to the Abstract Expressionists of the mid-20th century. With its vivid colors and emotional intensity, the present work is exemplary of his output, containing all of the best characteristics of his mature style. Brilliant, amorphous fields of color suggest the vast, marshy landscape of Nolde’s native Schleswig-Holstein region near the German-Danish border. The artist’s application of paint is powerful and dramatic, conveying with a few brushstrokes the impression of passing storm clouds, allowing light and sky to peek through and illuminate the colors of his landscape. A sense of fluidity and immediacy were of great importance to Nolde. He once said, “I try to avoid all thinking. A vague concept of color and luminosity suffices, and the picture evolves during the act of painting.” The flow and spontaneity of watercolor lent themselves well to Nolde’s creative approach, and he achieved a vibrancy in the medium that is unsurpassed. Nolde is considered one of the most important exponents of German Expressionism and was one of the most prominent representatives of the avant-garde in Germany. His participation in the seminal group Die Brücke (The Bridge) links him to one of the earliest artists' associations which had a crucial impact on the development of modern art. His interplay of color and form set him apart from his contemporaries, and his work is recognized as a monumental step toward modernism. However, Nolde’s work was derided in his day by the Nazi regime in Germany, and he was forbidden from painting. Deemed too “decadent,” 33 of his works were displayed in the infamous Entartete Kunst, Degenerate Art Exhibition in Munich in 1937, labeling the artist's works as a “threat” to Germany. The Nazi Party destroyed hundreds of Nolde's works and confiscated over one thousand more — the greatest number of any artist — highlighting the rarity of the present composition. Throughout his career, Nolde received numerous awards, including the Print Prize of the XXVL Venice Biennale and the Order “Pour le mérite...

Fortunino Matania 1881-1963 Italian Piccadilly Circus Signed “Matania” (center, on bus) Watercolor and gouache on paper This exceptional watercolor and gouache composition by fam...

Louis Comfort Tiffany 1848-1933 American White Mountains of New Hampshire Signed "Louis C. Tiffany" (lower right) Watercolor Louis Comfort Tiffany, best known for his revolutiona...