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Tree in the cornfield

Nome Classe Data

Augusto Macke, Tree in the cornfield (1907). Di pubblico dominio.

Dettagli dell'opera

Artista
Augusto Macke artsdot.com/it/artists/augusto-macke_it/
Date dell'artista
1887 – 1914
Pittura
1907
Tecnica e materiali
Oil On Canvas
Dimensioni originali
30 x 15 cm
Movimento
German Expressionism Colour and shape deliberately distorted so the picture shows an emotion rather than a likeness.
Artistic style
German Expressionism
Subject or theme
People in a field with trees

In context

Tree in the cornfield — Augusto Macke

How big is it?

The original measures 30 × 15 cm (height × width), drawn here beside an adult of average height.

Data di realizzazione

  1. 1880
  2. 1890
  3. 1900
  4. 1910

Shaded: la vita di Augusto Macke (1887–1914) ▲ quest'opera, 1907

Opere simili

Scegli un'opera tra quelle sopra elencate: indica due elementi in comune con quest'ultima e una differenza.

Altre opere da affiancare a questa: artsdot.com/it/art/similar/august-macke-tree-in-the-cornfield-8BWN5W-en/

Palette colori

Rilevato dall'immagine

    Colore principale

    Clay #936d4b

    Tavolozza salvata

    • #936D4B
    • #345FAC
    • #3B473F
    • #F2BF49
    Palette
    Earthy La gamma cromatica dominante nell'immagine.
    Colore principale
    Clay
    Intensità
    Vivid La saturazione e la varietà dei colori, da una singola tonalità tenue a molteplici sfumature vivaci.
    Contrasto
    Bold Quanto i colori differiscano in luminosità e saturazione nell'intera opera.
    Armonia
    Strong Color Unity L'armonia cromatica, dall'accostamento contrastante all'unione completa.
    Luminosità
    Brilliant Il grado di luminosità o di oscurità complessiva dell'immagine, dalle ombre profonde ai punti di massima luce.
    Saturazione
    Clear Color Presence Quanto siano puri e intensi i colori, dal quasi grigio al pienamente vivido.

    Informazioni sull'opera

    Tree in the cornfield — Augusto Macke

    A Sunlit Interlude in the Cornfield

    August Macke’s Tree in the cornfield, painted in 1907, transports the viewer into a moment suspended between pastoral tranquility and burgeoning modern life. This canvas is not merely a depiction of an agricultural scene; it is a vibrant meditation on human connection set against the rhythmic geometry of nature. The composition immediately draws the eye into the lush expanse of the cornfield, dominated by the stately presence of a central tree whose trunk anchors the entire scene. Macke captures the light with an almost palpable energy, suggesting a warm, late afternoon glow filtering through the stalks and illuminating the figures gathered within.

    The Echoes of Impressionism in German Expressionism

    To understand this work is to appreciate its pivotal moment in art history. While Macke’s early training placed him within the orbit of academic tradition, his style blossomed into a brilliant embrace of Post-Impressionist color and the burgeoning spirit of German Expressionism. Yet, unlike some of his more emotionally charged contemporaries, here, the energy feels buoyant, almost joyous. The technique is characterized by visible, confident brushstrokes that build up the texture of the foliage and the earth. Macke uses color not just to mimic reality, but to amplify feeling—the greens are rich, the skin tones luminous, suggesting an optimistic view of modern existence.

    Narrative Details and Symbolic Touches

    The human element adds a layer of intimate storytelling. We observe a man bending low, perhaps gathering something precious from the ground, while a woman stands nearby, lending a sense of watchful grace to the scene. The inclusion of details—the two umbrellas suggesting preparedness for changing weather, the handbag resting near the woman’s feet—grounds the ethereal quality of the light in tangible reality. These small props invite speculation: What are they gathering? Are they pausing from a journey? Macke masterfully weaves these anecdotal elements into the broader tapestry of the field, turning a simple outing into a portrait of shared experience.

    Bringing the Light Home

    For the collector or designer seeking to infuse a space with artistic vitality, this reproduction offers more than just decoration; it offers an atmosphere. The scale of 30 x 15 cm makes it perfectly suited for mantelpieces, gallery walls, or console tables where a burst of color and narrative depth is desired without overwhelming the room. Owning Tree in the cornfield is to possess a piece of early 20th-century optimism—a reminder that even amidst the structured beauty of nature, moments of human grace and connection can bloom vibrantly.

    Artista e museo

    Artista

    Augusto Macke

    Born in Meschede, Germania

    Le prime esperienze e la formazione artistica

    August Robert Ludwig Macke, pittore espressionista tedesco di spicco, nacque il 3 gennaio 1887 a Meschede, nella Vestfalia. Il suo percorso artistico iniziò alla Kunstakademie di Düsseldorf (1904-1906), sotto la guida di Adolf Maennchen. Lo stile di Macke fu plasmato dall'impressionismo francese e dal post-impressionismo, per poi essere influenzato dal fauvismo.

    Influenze artistiche e stile

    L’incontro con Robert Delaunay a Parigi (1912) introdusse Macke al cubismo cromatico, noto anche come orfismo. Questa influenza è visibile nel suo dipinto Shops Windows, una personale interpretazione dello stile di Delaunay combinata con la simultaneità delle immagini riscontrabile nel futurismo italiano. Macke fece parte del gruppo espressionista tedesco Der Blaue Reiter (Il Cavaliere Azzurro), insieme a Wassily Kandinsky, Franz Marc e Paul Klee. I suoi dipinti, come Bathing Girls with Town in the Background (100 x 80 cm, Staatsgalerie Moderner Kunst, Monaco di Baviera, Germania), mostrano il suo stile unico caratterizzato da colori vivaci e disegno audace.

    Opere significative e eredità

    Woman in a Green Jacket (1913, Museum Ludwig Colonia, Germania), un esempio emblematico dell'espressionismo.

    Landscape with Cows and Camel (1914, Kunsthaus Zurigo, Svizzera), un esempio paradigmatico del suo stile.

    Türkisches Café (1914), un capolavoro che mostra il suo approccio luminista durante il suo ultimo periodo.

    Un tragico destino e un impatto duraturo

    La vita di Macke fu interrotta prematuramente quando morì il 26 settembre 1914 al fronte, in Champagne, in Francia. Il suo ultimo dipinto, Farewell, cattura l’atmosfera cupa che si abbatté sull'Europa durante la prima guerra mondiale.

    Esplora altre opere di August Macke e il movimento dell'espressionismo tedesco su AllPaintingsStore:

    Woman in a Green Jacket

    Franz Marc's Fighting Forms, che mostra la collaborazione all’interno di Der Blaue Reiter

    August Macke's artist page on AllPaintingsStore

    Dove approfondire

    Scoprilo online

    Codice QR che rimanda alla pagina di download per Tree in the cornfield

    artsdot.com/it/art/download/august-macke-tree-in-the-cornfield-8BWN5W-en/

    Citazione dell'opera

    MLA
    Macke, Augusto. Tree in the cornfield. 1907, https://artsdot.com/it/art/august-macke-tree-in-the-cornfield-8BWN5W-en/
    APA
    Macke, Augusto (1907). Tree in the cornfield [Painting]. https://artsdot.com/it/art/august-macke-tree-in-the-cornfield-8BWN5W-en/
    Chicago
    Augusto Macke. Tree in the cornfield. 1907. https://artsdot.com/it/art/august-macke-tree-in-the-cornfield-8BWN5W-en/
    Harvard
    Macke, Augusto (1907) Tree in the cornfield. Available at: https://artsdot.com/it/art/august-macke-tree-in-the-cornfield-8BWN5W-en/

    Look closely

    Tree in the cornfield — Augusto Macke

    Look closely

    Answer in your own words. There are no wrong answers here — only answers you can explain.

    1. What catches your eye first, and why?
    2. Which colours or shapes create the mood — and what is that mood?
    3. Our catalogue files this work under: cornfield scene, figures outdoors, umbrellas. Do you agree? What would you add, or take away?
    4. Look back at Donna con una giacca verde (1913), earlier in this guide. Name two things it shares with this work, and one that is different.
    5. German Expressionism: Colour and shape deliberately distorted so the picture shows an emotion rather than a likeness. Where can you see that in this work?

    Your response

    Write a short paragraph about this artwork. Use the facts from the earlier parts of this guide, and your answers above.