1392 - Ernst Koerner (1846, Stibbe – 1927, Berlin)

Ernst Koerner (1846, Stibbe – 1927, Berlin) View of the Alhambra in Granada with the snow-capped peaks of the Sierra Nevada in the evening light A view from a hill across the valley toward the famous, imposing Moorish castle complex with the Nasrid Palaces on Sabikah Hill. The composition is striking for its dynamic sense of spatial depth; representing the viewer, a couple stands in the foreground on a road sloping downward to the left. In this large-format masterpiece, the renowned landscape painter—known above all for his Oriental motifs—reveals himself as a virtuoso colorist who knew how to capture the light of the evening atmosphere in subtly nuanced, warm-toned, luminous hues. His focus was not on architectural details, but on conveying the overall atmosphere, which is also evident in his painting style—characterized by broad brushstrokes, soft, impasto application of paint, and subtle highlights. He succeeded in blending all the pictorial elements into a compelling whole, with color serving as the decisive medium of expression. In doing so, however, he also plays with varying color values—from the green midground and the golden hues of the radiant Alhambra to the cooler blue in the upper part of the sky. Koerner received his artistic training beginning in 1861 as a student in Hermann Eschke’s studio in Berlin, and later also under Carl Steffeck and Gottlieb Biermann. Beginning in 1864, Koerner exhibited extensively and received a number of medals in Berlin, Vienna, Melbourne, and Philadelphia. In 1894, Koerner became a professor at the Berlin Academy; from 1895 to 1899, he served as chairman of the Association of Berlin Artists. His encounter with Egyptian art and the world of Islam—which he first experienced in 1873 during a study trip to Egypt—would prove to be a defining influence on his work. Koerner experienced the fusion of European and Islamic art in 1882 during a trip to Spain, where he also visited the Alhambra. In southern Spain and the Orient, he found the light and the vivid colors he needed—elements that fulfilled him and his art. Drawing on the intensive studies he conducted during his travels, Koerner later conceived and composed his paintings in his studio. He also painted the Alhambra on several occasions. In 1883, the year following his trip to Spain, he created a first, monumental view of the Alhambra, which he presented at the Berlin Academy Exhibition in 1884 and which was not auctioned from his estate until 1927 (a second version was created in 1901). In 1902, he painted an initial version of the composition shown here, which he repeated again 20 years later. In 1925, the Great Berlin Art Exhibition dedicated a major special exhibition to his works, which may have included this painting. Oil on canvas; signed and dated 1922. 84 cm x 126 cm. Framed. Oil on canvas. Signed and dated 1922.