Port of Marseille 1930 - 1933

Hanns Ludwig Katz made this painting, Port of Marseille, with oil on canvas. Look at how Katz applies the paint, it’s thick and juicy, like frosting on a cake! You can see the marks and gestures he made; the whole thing feels very built. I love how the grays and blues mingle with hints of ochre and red. They create a hazy, almost dreamlike atmosphere. Take a close look at the lower part of the painting, at the dark vertical marks suggesting the masts of ships. They loom like dark teeth, creating a sense of depth and mystery. This piece reminds me a little of Oskar Kokoschka's expressionistic cityscapes, with its emotional intensity and gestural brushwork. But Katz has his own thing going on, for sure. It’s a good reminder that art is an ongoing conversation.