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Der erste Tag [The First Day]
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? Bernard Schultze

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Der erste Tag [The First Day] 1989
'The First Day' is an example of the large, boldly coloured, abstract canvases produced by Schultze during the 1980s. Although abstract, this large diptych contains strong echoes of the apocalyptic landscapes of the old German masters such as Altdorfer and Grünewald. The influence of Surrealism and of German fantastic art can also be seen. Schultze creates art using an automatic process, making exploratory, abstract marks, which are often developed into complex patterns that suggest strange and fantastical landscapes.

Glossary Open

Abstract art

Art in which there is no attempt to represent anything existing in the world, particularly used of the 20th century onwards. `Abstraction? refers to the process of making images that may in part derive from the visible world but which are reduced to basic formal elements.

Diptych

An artwork consisting of two components, often joined in the centre by a hinge.

Surrealism

A literary and artistic movement founded by the poet André Breton in 1924. Many of the associated artists, such as Max Ernst and Jean Arp, had previously been involved with Dadaism. The movement sought to challenge conventions through the exploration of the subconscious mind, invoking the power of dreams and elements of chance. Cultural hierarchies were challenged by the combination of diverse elements in collages and sculptural assemblages. The movement is also notable for the collaborations between artists and writers evident in the Surrealists' many publications.

Abstract art, Diptych, Surrealism

Details

  • Acc. No. GMA 3548
  • Medium Oil on canvas (diptych)
  • Size 200.00 x 560.00 cm (each canvas 200.00 x 260.00 cm)
  • Credit Presented by Herr Franz Loehr through Fischer Fine Art 1990

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