Fischer in Booten. 1953.
Oil on canvas, not mounted on stretcher.
With date and title "Fischfang" on verso as well as with estate stamp and signature of estate administrator Eberhard Seel. With tile on rear of frame as well as with another estate stamp. 27,3 x 32,6 cm (10,7 x 12,8 in), size of sheet.

Accompanied by a certificate of authenticity issued by Eberhard Seel, estate Werner Gilles, Berlin Wilmersdorf, dated 9 March, 1963.
We are grateful to Dr. Marlis Zilkens, Cologne, for her expert advice.

PROVENANCE: Private collection Northern Germany.

EXHIBITION: Werner Gilles. Exhibition on occasion of the Lichtwark Prize 1961 awarded by the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, Kunstverein for the Rheinland and Westphalia, Kunsthalle Düsseldorf, 26 May to 9 July, 1961, cat no. 112 (there titled "Fischfang", no illu.).

Werner Gilles regularly spent the summer months on the island of Ischia, where he was in vivid exchange with both the locals as well as with artist colleagues such as Eduard Bargheer or Hans Purrmann. The island was source of inspiration for Gilles' art. Along with charming landscape depictions he rendered impressions of the island dwellers' everyday life. This island is part of a number of works showing the life of fishermen on Ischia. As it is the case with all the Ischia pictures, our painting is so fascinating through its expressive lucent coloring and the both harmonious and yet dissonant color chords, that make for the scene's particular charm. Not only the colors are bold: Forms also dissolve and sea, people and boats become equivalent emblematic line formations with expressive power (cf. Marlis Schwengers, Werner Gilles. Stilistische und ikonographische Studien zu seinem Werk, Cologne 1985, p. 104 and p. 333, cat. no. G 305-308). [KP].