Waterfowl and Chickens (Wasservögel und Hühner) c. 1920
emilpottner
toned paper
water colours
germany
pastel soft colours
muted colour palette
handmade artwork painting
tile art
watercolour bleed
watercolour illustration
soft colour palette
watercolor
Emil Pottner's "Waterfowl and Chickens" is a woodblock print from around 1920 depicting a lively scene of domestic fowl. The print, housed in the Minneapolis Institute of Art, captures a group of geese and chickens in a naturalistic setting. The artist uses bold lines and expressive color to render the birds' textures and postures, conveying a sense of movement and energy. The chickens and geese are shown in a relaxed and informal arrangement, creating a charming snapshot of everyday life. Pottner's mastery of the woodblock print medium is evident in the intricate details and subtle color variations, which bring depth and richness to the composition.
Comments
Emil Pottner broke a few rules with this print. He shifted his color blocks so that they were slightly out of register, even though he had little squares in the margin to aid in proper alignment. The shift resulted in a lively sense of movement, a nonstop peeping, pecking, and waddling. Birds were a lifelong subject for Pottner, and he saw all kinds outside his door in Petzow, Germany, a spot along the Havel River near Berlin. In 1938 the Nazis forced Pottner, who was Jewish, from his home. He died after being deported to the Treblinka death camp in 1942.
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