Fritz Burmann *

(Wiedenbrück 1892–1945 Berlin) Shepherd and shepherdess, probably circa 1930, signed Fritz Burmann Düsseldorf, oil on canvas, 96 x 102 cm, framed, (PP)

Provenance:
Private Collection, Europe

Fritz Burmann’s ‘Shepherd and shepherdess’ is reminiscent of the Italian pastoral art of the Renaissance and of English and French pastoral novels from the 16th and 17th centuries. Ensconced in an idyllic landscape, both protagonists in the love story are placed at the centre of the painting. The shepherdess reclines in a blue dress in the middle of the almost square composition. She nestles up to the shepherd, who embraces her on his lap with both arms, inclining his left hand towards her head. The couple is framed with a circle of five narrow trees and a fallen tree in the lower half of the picture. A grazing herd of sheep behind the couple forms a transition from the idyllic plot of earth to the vaults of heaven, which stands out in particular because of its powerful blue coloration. Delicate brown tones, ochre colours and greenish-blue nuances come together in the intense blue of the background, which emphasises the romantic scene.

Specialist: Mag. Patricia Pálffy