82.69 View of Upper Weimar (Blick auf Ober Weimar)

1899

Pastel, 13 1/4 x 15 1/2" (32.3 x 39 cm)

Signed, lr: C Rohlfs 99

Provenance: Lempertz Auction, Cologne, June 20, 1959

Rohlfs worked in pastels very briefly, at the time in his career when he was most directly inspired by Impressionism. This work is very characteristic of the period, with its view of an open and colorful landscape.

According to Paul Vogt, director of the Folkwang museum Essen and foremost Rohlfs scholar, this drawing came from one of Rohlfs’ Weimar sketchbooks. The scene depicted appears to be the Belvedere-Allee in Weimar. Rohlfs did a series of paintings of this tree-lined walk at that time.

When Dr. Vogt published his catalogue raisonné of Rohlfs’ paintings in 1978, this work was listed at “present location unknown.” Vogt also discussed another work of the same subject, now in the Museum am Ostwall, Dortmund. The subject of the work is the poem “Lethe.”

Jüngst im Traume sah ich auf den Fluten Lately, dreaming, I saw on that river

Strom und Himmel stand in matten Gluten Stream and sky stood blushing, red and sallow.

Sassen Knaben drit mit Lotoskränzen, Boys with this skiff, white-wreathed with lotus

Mädchen beugten über Bord sich schlank, Girls–slim, agile–bent toward mirroring tide

Kreisend durch die Reihe sah ich glänzen Passed in circled feast a gleaming vessel

Eine Schale, draus ein jedes trank. From which each in turn a pale mouth dyed.

Jetzt erscholl eine Lied voll süsser Wehmut, Now flowed forth a lay of sweetest mourning

Das die Schar der kranzgenossen sang– Which the wreath of fellow-pilgrims sang

Ich erkannte deines Nackens Demut, And I caught your name’s low, modest turning,

Deine Stimme, die den Chor durchdrag. Your warm voice that through that chaos rang.

In die Welle taucht’ ich. Bis zum Marke I plunge through that wave as shuddering marrow

Schaudert’ ich, wie seltsam kühl sie war. Wonders at how grave, cold is its sting,

Ich erreicht’ die leise ziehnde Barke, Gain the bark so light in its slightest furrow,

Und die Reihe war an dir zu trinken, But your turn has come to taste the goblet

Sprachst zu mir mit trautem Augenwinken: Kind, though mute, your glowing eyes address me:

Herz, ich trinke dir Vergessen zu!” “Heart, we pledge oblivion with this cup”

Dir entrisss in trotzgem Liebesdrange Ruthless, spurred by love, I tear the chalice,

Iche die Schale, warf sie in die Flut, From your mouth, turn, cast it into the flood

Sie versank, und siehe, deine Wange It sinks from my sight. Now your sweet visage

Färbte sich mit einem Schein von Blut. Mantels rose, as from quick seeth of blood

Flehend küsst’ ich dich in wildem Harme, Pleading now I kiss you, wild with weeping,

Die den bleichen Mund mir willig bot, Through your willing lips are ashen-red,

Da zerranst du lähelnd mir im Arme Your wraith, smiling, melts, fades from my holding

und ich wusst’ es wieder–du bist tot. Day broke. I knew once more. You are dead.

Of stylistic interest here is the influence of Munich Jugendstil, evident in the rhythmic ordering of the trees in the background and the strong outline of the figures; no doubt Rohlfs’ love of Munch’s work at the time also contributed to the sinuous draping of the women in the boat, as well as the choice of a theme of the sorrow woman can bring to man. The work belongs to the relatively few paintings by Rohlfs that were inspired by literary themes.

According to Paul Vogt, Rohlfs often created small block prints and gave them as greeting cards or gifts. He printed them not only on paper, but also, as in this case, on fabric; often the prints were hand-rubbed rather than printed. The design Rohlfs used here is identical to one entitled Alraunen (Kobolde), that is, “spirits,” in Vogt’s catalogue raisonné of Rohlfs’ graphic work. The date given for the first production is 1922–an indication that Rohlfs continued to use these blocks long after he cut them initially.

The design here appears in Vogt, Das graphische Werk, with the title Der Bürger (The Citizen). As with Mother and Child, the date given for its initial production is 1922.