6814 - Steppes, Edmund

Steppes, Edmund Gnarled Willow Stump. Pen and ink in brown on handmade paper. 21.9 x 17.7 cm. Signed and dated "Edm. St. 6.5.1918" in the lower right corner. Evidence of the artistic impulse to see faces—or even entire beings—in trees, clouds, rock formations, and other natural structures has appeared in modern art since the 15th century. From Leonardo and Dürer through the Romantics to Surrealists such as Max Ernst, artists have repeatedly interpreted natural formations as human or creature-like figures. Steppes’ monstrous tree also follows this tradition, appealing to the viewer’s subconscious with its corporeal, human-like appearance. In the bare, twisting branches, the viewer senses the outstretched arms of a falling figure. In such drawings, Steppes explores transformation and the inexorable processes of nature’s formation as a law of life. - We ask that you request condition reports for individual lots, as the condition is usually not mentioned in the catalog. - Please ask for condition reports for individual lots, as the condition is usually not mentioned in the catalog.