Max Pechstein

Max Pechstein was one of the most important figures of German Expressionism and also a member of the "Brücke", a group of artists who introduced an expressive style of painting into German art between 1905 and 1913, remarkable also for its closeness to nature. Pechstein's Stillleben mit Masken und Blumen (Still Life with Masks and Flowers) is dominated by strong reds. Four objects are arranged on a red cloth: a vase, an African pipe bowl, a teapot and a mask, which is reflected in the mirror positioned behind it. Pechstein's work is characterised by a sustained fascination for the alien and the unknown, which prompted him to travel widely on many occasions, ultimately to the South Seas in 1913/14. It was there that he discovered a seemingly natural, organic way of life, which had an abiding influence on his work. However, the objects featured in the still life are also emblematic of an incipient appropriation, exaggerated stylisation and strongly biased European view of foreign culture depicted as "primitive".