Arnold Topp Lot n° 718

Arnold Topp - Red horse with blue figures in front of cityscape. Oil on cardboard. (Circa 1918/19). Approx. 42 x 40 cm. Signed lower right. - Expressive and characteristic work of Arnold Topp - Allegory to Franz Marc, who fell at Verdun in 1916, and the end of the Blue Rider - Rare testimony to the fruitful artistic exchange with fellow painter Curt Ehrhardt Dr. Rainer Enders writes in his expertise: "(...) The work is not dated. A clue to the year of creation could be the depiction, which gives clear indications, it could be this picture the lost 'On the Death of the Blue Rider'. Then it would have been exhibited in May 1918 in the Sturm and would therefore fall into this year (Gallery Der Sturm by Herwarth Walden, Berlin). (...) The path of the work lies completely in the dark. According to previous knowledge, it has been exhibited only this one time, which often indicates a change of ownership. The place of discovery in Küstrin, now in Poland, could indicate that it came from Topp's studio in Meseritz, which is considered lost since 1945. However, Topp's works that have turned up in Poland so far could be traced back to the Meseritz/Poland area; they were almost all in a bad condition. In contrast, this picture found here in Küstrin, 80 km further west, is well preserved, which does not completely exclude the possibility that the work was already at home here in German times. (...) The depiction shows a wildly rugged terrain with a nocturnal cityscape, whose houses partly show empty window cavities. This landscape could well belong to a battlefield. In the center are two blue figures in a passive position, both the blue and their posture could indicate that they are dead. In contrast to them, next to them we see a vigorous red horse full of life. For me, there is no doubt that this is an allegory. In March 1916, Franz Marc had fallen on a reconnaissance ride before Verdun. This loss plunged Arnold Topp into a deep despair, as it did the entire German artistic community, which was apparently borne by the conviction that such an artist must be immortal. Only Herwarth Walden succeeded in raising Arnold Topp again. A month later, Topp was wounded in the same room. It can be assumed that this painting was created in the course of coping with the traumatic war experiences. Now, two years later, Topp, who is devoted to philosophical problems as a second passion, is able, quasi summing up, to capture for himself the thoughts about personality and history in colors and forms. Modern art, whose fire burned in all its creators, stands here, embodied in this red-hot horse, like a rock, unshakable, even if one of its great riders has fallen. In the horse, Topp shapes the sustaining power of art, which, unlike its riders, is eternal, a realization from which he could draw confidence. In terms of color, the picture is dominated by the all-dominant red-blue contrast. In addition, with a second look, the unusual for Topp color design of other picture elements - trees, moon and others - is noticeable, where red, blue, yellow and green merge into each other in a very small space. This handling of color was previously known to me only by Curt Ehrhardt, who, also living in Brandenburg an der Havel, was a close friend of Topp in 1918 and 1919. The two met frequently to exchange views on the fundamental issues of the time, and it was also known that they painted together. This painting is now the first discovered testimony to their mutually stimulating artistic work. (...) As already mentioned above, the picture could be identical with the lost work 18.Oe.18. - 'To the Death of the Blue Rider'. Unfortunately, there is no evidence on the picture, frame and back wall to confirm this assumption. Therefore, in the next revision of the catalog raisonné, the work will be included under 18.Oe.37. - 'Red horse with blue figures in front of cityscape'." With an expert opinion by Dr. Rainer Enders, Frankfurt/Oder, dated 26.10.2011. In the next revision of the catalog raisonné, the work will be included under No. 18.Oe.37. With a scientific analysis of the painting by Dipl.-Chemiker Frank Mucha, Natural Science Laboratory, Conservation and Restoration Department of the University of Applied Sciences Erfurt, dated 11.10.2011. Exhibition: Wohl: The Storm. 63rd Exhibition. Nell Walden, Arnold Topp, Hans Sittig, William Wauer, Galerie Der Sturm, Berlin 1918, possibly cat. no. 82 under the title "On the Death of the Blue Rider" (cf. Enders 18.Oe.18); Wilhelm Morgner und die Junge Kunst - Zum 100. Todestag, Wilhelm Morgner Museum, Soest 2017; Vom Expressionismus zur Neuen Sachlichkeit - Wilhelm Morgner und die Soester Kun