103 - Gottfried Diehl, Hyacinths, New Objectivity, oil painting c. 1920/30, framed

Gottfried Diehl, Hyacinths, New Objectivity, oil painting c. 1920/30, framed Gottfried Diehl, 1896 Frankfurt am Main - 1956 Offenbach, Hyacinths in various colours in flower pots, oil on canvas, 53 x 50 cm, signed, framed About the artist: He was a painter, graphic artist, draughtsman and, at times, a stage designer. Diehl was seriously wounded near Verdun in 1916 during the First World War. Whilst recovering, he devoted himself intensively to art. His wartime experiences became a key starting point for his artistic development. In the 1920s, he initially focused heavily on German Expressionism. In 1920, together with Hanns Ludwig Katz, Emil Betzler and the art dealer Herbert Cramer, he founded the ‘Ghat’ group. Its aims were to organise joint exhibitions and promote modern art. His style did not remain confined to Expressionism. In the 1920s, he evolved from a more representational style of painting towards more abstract and surrealist-influenced forms. Under the Nazis, he was vilified as a ‘degenerate’ artist and banned from exhibiting. A large part of his work was lost in a bombing raid.