558 - GRAUBNER, GOTTHARD

GRAUBNER, GOTTHARD 1930 Erlbach–2013 Neuss Title: Untitled (Pillow Painting). Date: 1973. Technique: Painted foam pad on canvas stretched with Perlon. Dimensions: 81 x 81 x 16 cm. A certificate of authenticity from the Gotthard Graubner Archive is available for this work. The work will be included in the catalogue raisonné currently in production. The work was restored in 2026 following consultation with the Gotthard Graubner Archive. Provenance: - Galerie Alfred Schmela, Düsseldorf - Private collection, Cologne (acquired from the previous owner in 1973) - Early “cushion painting” marking the transition to his “color-space bodies” - Subtle, monochromatic effect achieved through delicate, nuanced coloration - With his “cushion paintings,” Graubner adds a spatial dimension to traditional painting - In the family’s possession since 1973 Gotthard Graubner is considered one of the leading figures in postwar German painting. After studying at the art academies in Berlin and Düsseldorf—where he studied under Georg Meistermann, among others—he developed a distinctive style within abstract painting. At the heart of his artistic practice lies an exploration of color and its spatial possibilities. Since the early 1960s, he has been creating what are known as “cushion paintings,” through which he fundamentally expands the traditional conception of the painting as a two-dimensional surface. By combining canvas, a textile covering, and a padded filling, he creates a three-dimensional work in which color and material form a new, physically tangible unity. Created in 1973, this “cushion painting” marks a decisive phase in this development. It possesses a pronounced physical presence without sacrificing the character of a painting in favor of an autonomous object. The padded construction gives the picture surface a gentle curve, thereby fundamentally altering the relationship between surface and space. The restrained, beige color palette unfolds in delicate nuances and subtle tonal gradations. Expressive contrasts give way to a quiet, almost monochromatic effect, the quality of which is revealed in the nuanced perception of color, light, and material. It is precisely in this reduction that Graubner’s consistent further development of traditional panel painting becomes evident. Here, the painting makes its impact not through an expressive gesture, but through the sensitive interplay of color and physicality. As an early example of his “cushion paintings,” the work illustrates a significant step in Graubner’s artistic thinking and a transition in which he conceptually develops the cushion paintings into color-space forms. Estimated shipping costs for this lot: This lot is not suitable for parcel shipping. Transport is available only through a shipping company following consultation after the auction. Additional shipping insurance Shipping insurance up to a total invoice amount of 25,000 euros: max. 41.65 euros For a total invoice amount exceeding 25,000 euros: 1.8 per mille Shipping to the U.S. by individual arrangement after the auction. #Gotthard Graubner #Abstraction #Germany #Post-War Art #Object #1970s #Post War. In accordance with §26 UrhG (German Copyright Act), VAN HAM is obligated to pay a statutory resale royalty on the sale proceeds of all original works of fine art and photography whose authors have not been deceased for 70 years prior to the end of the calendar year of the sale. The buyer shall contribute 1.5% of the hammer price toward this fee.