Deer in Japanese Landscape, 1918

About the Work

Until 1916, the Swiss Jean Bloé Niestlé painted naturalistic depictions of animals – despite his close ties to the Expressionist “Blaue Reiter” artists. After his friend Franz Marc’s death, he fundamentally changed his style: like Marc, he now depicted deer, for example, simplified and lying on the ground. They are embedded in what he himself called a “Japanese landscape”. The vegetation and geology are made up of simple colour fields and clearly contoured areas. Niestlé also drew inspiration from Japanese woodblock prints and Bavarian reverse glass painting, which were also models for the artists of the “Blaue Reiter”.

About the Acquisition

Pauline Kowarzik (née Fellner; 1852–1930) grew up in Frankfurt and received private painting and drawing lessons at a young age. In 1896, she married the Viennese sculptor and medallist Josef Kowarzik (1860–1911), who taught sculpture at the Städelschule. Together, they were very active participants of Frankfurt’s art life and closely associated with the Städel Art Institute. Due to her notable knowledge of modern art, Pauline Kowarzik was the first woman to be appointed as a member with advisory capacity in the acquisition committee of the Städtische Galerie in 1916. Kowarzik herself owned a significant collection with modern art works. When the inflation in 1926 got her into financial trouble, Pauline Kowarzik sold her private collection to the Städel for a monthly life annuity. In 1937, 18 of the 34 works were removed from the museum as part of the “Degenerate Art” confiscation operation. Nowadays, they are either lost or in other museums all over Europe. Heckel’s "Landscape in Holstein" was the only one of these works that the Städel was able to buy back.