Max Pechstein, Red Houses, 1919 by Atelier Liesjes

'An expressive winter landscape in watercolour/gouache: in the centre, a group of red houses with steep roofs and chimneys, surrounded by tall, bare trees with black trunks and branches reaching dramatically upwards. The snow is off-white with yellow and orange accents, the ground muddy and greenish. The sky is cloudy in blue and grey with a slight glow, the composition dynamic with diagonal lines of trees suggesting depth and wind. The red roofs stand out brightly against the dark trunks and white snow; signed ' "H. Pechstein 1919"'. Meaning This landscape from 1919 was created shortly after the First World War, when Pechstein retired to the Baltic Sea (e.g. Nidden or Rowe). The red houses symbolise warmth, security and human presence amid the cold, rugged nature – a contrast between civilisation and primal forces. The bare trees and snow refer to transience and recovery after the war, while the bright red colour radiates vitality and hope. It fits in with Pechstein's theme of simplicity, authenticity and refuge in the countryside after the chaos of war. Technique Watercolour with gouache on paper: transparent washes for sky and snow, combined with strong black contours and bright colour accents (red houses, yellow-orange glow, blue-grey sky). Loose, expressive brushstrokes and overlaps give a fresh, lively impression; typical of Pechstein's watercolours from 1919 – fluid but structured, with strong contrasts and a focus on emotion and light.

Hermann Max Pechstein (Zwickau, 31 December 1881 – Berlin, 29 June 1955) was a painter from Germany. Pechstein is considered an important representative of Expressionism. In 1918, after the First World War, Pechstein co-founded the Arbeitsrat für Kunst (Workers' Council for Art) and in 1922 he became a member of the Prussian Academy of Arts.