This work does not require glass, which suits such a down-to-earth dance scene: the canvas lies exposed before the viewer’s eye, its texture remaining palpable even in the darkest areas. The texture of the fabric stands out in the black skirts and jackets, whilst the red fabrics lie over them as dense layers of print - even the impasto-like brushstrokes of the original can still be discerned, for instance in the small splashes of colour in the embroidery. The whole is framed by Alia, a clean-lined profile from the Woodland range with an ebony-dark grain, which remains visible in the mitre cut at the corner. I particularly like this contrast: such a lively scene set within such a calm, dark frame - it keeps the eye focused on the figures and their colours.
The motif itself is Carl Bantzer’s “Schwämer Tanz” (Dancers’ Dance) from 1898: a circle of dancers fills the picture plane, men in dark skirts and fur hats, women in Schwalm traditional dress with red bonnets, heavy skirts and embroidered shawls. Bantzer does not paint this as a folkloric postcard, but as a study in movement - the outstretched arms, the bowed heads, the swirling hem of the skirts at the bottom edge lend the scene an almost physical pull. Amidst the dark figures, flashes of vermilion, gold and a few splashes of green and violet stand out; it is precisely these rich colours that the satined canvas ‘Leonardo’ conveys with a remarkable sense of texture. Bantzer, a German painter of the late 19th century who was long associated with the Willingshausen artists’ colony, repeatedly turned his attention to rural life in Hesse. Measuring 68 x 39 cm, the landscape format incidentally captures the width of the dance circle - what remains is a slice of festive culture in which community and regional tradition are the true themes.
×
+43 4257 29415
support@meisterdrucke.com
Mo-Do: 7:00 - 16:00 | Fr: 7:00 - 13:00
