Markus Lüpertz, German, born 1941

 

The Phillips Collection in Washington DC reviewed some of the work of this artist in 2017.

 

Markus Lüpertz’ late figurative work, some of them centered on Arcadia,  are some of the most beautiful recent figurations I have seen.

Arcadia, a cultural idea which – like Utopia – pulses sometimes stronger and sometimes more faint in Western civilizations. 

And is not likely to die  – any more than Utopia is likely to die although for different reasons – because it incorporates a complexity which is the foundation of life: that we live in a natural paradise.  And that in this paradise is also death without which life cannot continue. (Et in Arcadia, Ego, 1637/8 of Nicholas Poussin after Virgil’s Eclogues). 

From which context arises the most critical question we always have:  how then shall we live? 

I like the pensive and somewhat tentative but solid figures with which the artist has populated Arcadia. 

I am heartened that he has addressed this subject at this time when there is so much noise and rubbish information around.

 

 

Tree Trunk Down Dithythrambic, 1966, distemper on canvas. Loaned by the Hall Art Foundation to The Phillips Collection, Washington DC in 2017

 

 

 

Waterlily, 1970, oil on canvas

 

 

 

Wood Shingles Dithythrambic, and detail, 1966, oil on canvas in two parts

 

 

 

Rumor, 1982, oil on canvas on the far left 

The Large Spoon, 1982, and detail, oil on canvas in the middle.  MOMA, NY

Rendevous, 1982, and detail, oil on canvas, on the right

 

 

 

Agepan II, 2010, mixed media on board

 

 

 

The Raven Philosopher, 1990, oil on canvas

 

 

 

(Without Title), 2008, oil on canvas

 

 

 

Untitled (Seelow Heights), 2009, acrylic on canvas.  Loaned by the Würth Collection, Künzelau, Germany

Untitled (Seelow Heights), 2009, acrylic on canvas.  Loaned by the Würth Collection, Künzelau, Germany

 

 

 

German Motif – Dithyrambic II, 1972, distemper on canvas

 

 

 

Man in Suit, dithyrambic, 1972, Distemper on canvas

 

 

Each of these is called Men Without Women, Parsifal, 1993, tempera on canvas

 

 

Young Man in the Garden, 1990, oil on canvas

 

 

Landscape, 1992, oil on canvas

 

 

 

Antique Color Theory, 2011, mixed media on canvas

 

 

Time, 2012, mixed  media on canvas

 

 

Night, 2013, mixed media on canvas

 

 

Arcadia – The High Mountain, 2013, mixed media on canvas

 

 

Satyr + Nymph II, 2014, mixed media on canvas

 

 

Iphigenia (Markgravian), and detail, 2014, mixed media on canvas

 

 

With the Help of the Grasshopper, 2014, mixed media on canvas