655 - Karl Hofer (1878 Karlsruhe – Berlin 1955)

Karl Hofer (1878 Karlsruhe – Berlin 1955) Still Life with Fruit Oil on canvas. (1925). Approx. 51 x 67 cm. Monogrammed (ligature) lower right. On the reverse side of the stretcher, there is a fragment of a label (presumably for an exhibition) from the Flechtheim Gallery (Lützowufer, Berlin), bearing the handwritten number “14130.” On the reverse, various other inscriptions and a fragment of a stamp reading “J. Heidelmayer.” The second monogram mentioned by Wohlert, located at the bottom left, is no longer legible. Wohlert 678. • Since the 1920s, still lifes have been among Hofer’s preferred subjects • A modern interpretation of vanitas or memento mori depictions • A balanced composition with fresh accents of color After being interned in France during the war and spending an extended period in Switzerland, Hofer returned to Berlin in 1919. There, an exhibition at Paul Cassirer’s gallery in September of that same year finally brought him the attention he had sought. His paintings are now characterized by a clear structure and formal rigor, through which he captures the turbulent times. In the 1920s, Hofer developed various thematic focuses, including still lifes combined with depictions of girls or couples. Fruit and pumpkins serve as attributes that underscore the naturalness and closeness to nature of his models. At the same time, however, he also discovered the independent fruit still life. In these works, he created close-ups of the fruit, draped on cloths and set against a neutral background. In this painting, Hofer creates an autumnal-looking still life featuring vegetables, apples, and pears, using a balanced color palette with fresh color accents. Bibliography: Hennig, Karl, “Paintings, Drawings, and Prints of the 15th–20th Centuries at Hauswedell & Nolte, Hamburg,” preliminary report on the auction in: *Weltkunst*, Current Journal for Art and Antiques, Munich, May 15, 1983, Vol. 53, No. 10, p. 1384 ff., b/w ill. Provenance: Private collection; Galerie Pels-Leusden, Berlin, with label on the reverse of the frame; Hauswedell & Nolte, Hamburg, June 9, 1983, Lot 630, color plate 7; Formerly a private collection, Berlin. Taxation: subject to margin scheme (VAT: Margin Scheme).