'Bar scene', ca. 1925
Herbert Fiedler (1891-1962)
Although he laid down a variety of themes on canvas, people are the center in the work of Otto Herbert ("Herbert") Fiedler. He painted for example several pub scenes with
communicating visitors often also a 'loner', who does not always have to be sad. As a sensitive, modest and somewhat shy person, the artist knows that feeling very well.
Born in Leipzig (Germany) Herbert Fiedler, who in 1957 got the Dutch nationality, is an artist with a distinctive style and an own colour sense, caused by contact with different (art)
currents and extremely difficult (war) situations. In Dresden and Berlin, he became fascinated by the German Expressionism and in Paris by Fauvism, Cubism and French impressionism.
He remains faithfull to the figurative style, even if that is found 'old fashioned' at some points.
On the advice of Max Liebermann he studies at the Academy of Art in Dresden, where he becomes friends with Georg Grosz; that friendship lasts throughout their lives. Fiedler then goes
to Berlin, where he meets Max Beckmann. He exhibits in Berlin and Paris and travels through Italy and France. In 1934 he emigrates (because of the political situation in Germany) with
his partner, the artist Amrey Balsiger, to the Netherlands. Until 1940 he lives in Laren (NH), then in Amsterdam. Here he writes: "The worst part of this whole painters existence is
the loneliness, that eternal seclusion. You work, you scrape to your best knowledge and belief - and an echo? Recognition? Zero point nothing." It is tragic indeed, that he gets
recognition only late in his life and that he dies suddenly, a few months for the honorable retrospective at the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam. His work can be found in private
collections and museums in the Netherlands, France, Germany, Belgium and the USA.
When has Fiedler painted this work? The monograph of 2001 shows an image of a pub scene from 1916, but that style is more naturalistic. Judging by the dress and the hat this canvas
is painted between 1922 and 1925, also because he has painted similar work in 1922 in Berlin.
Also view:
www.herbert-fiedler.de
