Alexander Koester, a native of the Rhineland, achieved something that the majority of all artists are denied: his works helped him achieve success and recognition at an early age. Already during his studies at the Karlsruhe Academy of Fine Arts he earned his money with portrait painting. He undertook numerous study trips - he was particularly taken with the picturesque town of Klausen in South Tyrol. There he joined the "Klausener Künstlerkolonie" and married the daughter of a local innkeeper. Koester expanded his repertoire with genre paintings and atmospheric landscapes. He developed pronounced virtuosity in a wide spectrum of painting. But he achieved real fame only when he discovered a very special motif for himself: the duck.
The first encounter with the quacking animal he had on the farm of his father-in-law. Immediately Koester was fascinated by the birds. He meticulously studied their physique and nature and made many hundreds of studies of them. Ducks became his undisputed favorite motif, and he immortalized them in great variety. But it was not only as a painter of these animals that he gained great renown: He became a sought-after duck expert and bred the animals with great pride. He was able to masterfully showcase his extensive knowledge in his paintings. True to life, he captured the behavior of the animals and thus created unique snapshots of nature. Their dynamics were further enhanced by shadow play and dazzling light effects. Alexander Koester made the duck, which had previously received little attention, respectable as an art object. Among the illustrious circle of buyers of his works were Kaiser Wilhelm II and the Italian king. The constant painting of these animals even earned him the nickname "Duck Koester".
Before Koester could pursue his passion for painting, he completed an apprenticeship as a pharmacist at the request of his father. After passing his exams, he began his art studies in the same year. For Alexander Koester, the switch to art paid off across the board. He received numerous awards, including a gold medal at the St. Louis World's Fair, and his duck paintings were exhibited internationally early on. When Klausen became a war zone during World War I, Alexander Koester moved to Dießen am Ammersee and set up a studio in Munich. He now turned increasingly to landscape painting again. He focused on the wide water landscapes of his surroundings, which he depicted with strong colors in many weather moods. Late in his career he painted primarily still lifes of flowers, yet he remained faithful to his ducks. They left their mark on him for well over 30 years. During this time, his painting style changed from detailed realism to impressionism with broad brushstrokes. Thus his recurring motif never lost its new appeal and the public remained enthusiastic. On the art market, the rule soon applied: the more ducks depicted, the more expensive the painting. Even today, Alexander Koester's duck paintings are still coveted art objects and fetch high sums at auctions.
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.jpg "Ducks on a Pond, c. 1884-1932 by Alexander Koester")
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.jpg "The Duck Pond by Alexander Koester")
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.jpg "Feeding Geese by Alexander Koester")
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.jpg "Four Ducks in the Pond by Alexander Koester")
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.jpg "Ducks at the Lake")
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.jpg "Five Resting White Ducks by Alexander Koester")
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.jpg "Four Ducks at the Pond by Alexander Koester")
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.jpg "Ducks Gathering by Alexander Koester")
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.jpg "Ducks in a Pool by Alexander Koester")
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.jpg "Ducks in the Pond by Alexander Koester")
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.jpg "Ducks Swimming in a Sunlit Lake by Alexander Koester")
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.jpg "Five ducks on the river, Stony shore by Alexander Koester")
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.jpg "Ducks in the Reeds under the Boughs by Alexander Koester")
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.jpg "Ducks on a Pond by Alexander Koester")
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.jpg "Ducks in Shallow Water Reed by Alexander Koester")
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.jpg "Ducks on a Riverbank by Alexander Koester")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-935489).jpg "Ducks Gathering by Alexander Koester")
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.jpg "Ducks in Straw by Alexander Koester")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-890611).jpg "Ashore (Ducks) by Alexander Koester")
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.jpg "Ducks on a Pond by Alexander Koester")
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.jpg "Ducks on a Riverbank by Alexander Koester")
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.jpg "In the Evening Sun by Alexander Koester")
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