Hafen 1911

Max Pechstein made this painting of a harbour with oil on canvas. The colours are bold and distinct, with dark blues, greens, reds and yellows. I can imagine Pechstein standing in the harbour, trying to capture the scene in front of him. The paint looks quite thick and textured in places, especially in the water, which gives the whole painting a real sense of movement. Look how each brushstroke seems to ripple outwards. I wonder if he was trying to show how the boats and the water are all part of the same lively energy. The lines in the painting are all very clear and defined, especially the outlines of the boats, almost like a child’s drawing but so much more sophisticated. The boats don’t seem to be floating so much as dancing. Pechstein’s clearly having a dialogue with other artists who came before, especially those in the Fauvist movement with their focus on bold colours and simplified forms. It’s like he’s saying: ‘I see what you did, and I’m going to push it even further in my own way’. It reminds me of the way painting’s like a big conversation that keeps going on and on.