AM STRAND (SÜDFRANKREICH) 

Gabriele Münter painted ‘Am Strand (Südfrankreich)’ with oil on cardboard, capturing a scene marked by her characteristic bold colors and simplified forms. At first glance, one notices how the composition is divided into distinct bands of color: the tan shoreline, the violet-blue sea, and the muted tones of the land in the background. Münter’s manipulation of color and form serves to flatten the picture plane, challenging traditional perspective. The broad, expressive brushstrokes, particularly visible in the water and sky, contribute to a sense of immediacy and emotional intensity, typical of the expressionist movement. Münter simplifies what she observes down to her basic geometric components, then amplifies their color to give them a new feeling of depth. Consider how the large rock on the beach and the figure lounging on the sand serve as compositional anchors, grounding the painting, while also destabilizing traditional landscape conventions. Rather than aiming for mimetic representation, Münter is interested in the affective qualities of color and form.