991 - Martin Wirth, Hof Tütsberg on Lüneburg Heath, group of trees with grazing Heidschnucke sheep, 2006

Martin Wirth, Hof Tütsberg on Lüneburg Heath, group of trees with grazing Heidschnucke sheep, 2006 (1939 – 2017 Ilsenburg), watercolour over pencil on card, signed and dated (20)06 centre right, inscribed verso "Martin Wirth, 2006 Hof Tütsberg in der Lüneburger Heide", oval composition fading out towards the edges of the sheet, massive group of trees with partly autumnal reddish-brown foliage, at the foot of the trees pale branches lying on the ground, in front grazing horned Heidschnucke sheep with dark heads, a wooden fence in the background, condition commensurate with age, slightly stained and creased, image 36x48 cm (HxW) Hof Tütsberg lies near Schneverdingen in the Lüneburg Heath nature reserve; it is documented in writing from 1592/93, and until 1908 it was farmed by heath farmers. In 1928 the estate passed to the Verein Naturschutzpark, which has run it since 1986 as a landscape conservation farm and converted it to organic farming in 1998. From here several flocks of grey horned Heidschnucke sheep roam the heathland and keep the open cultural landscape clear; Dülmen ponies are also kept. Martin Wirth, biologist and art teacher from the Harz, preferred to paint his landscape watercolours while travelling and directly in front of nature.