Die grüne Kuh

Heinrich Campendonk’s gouache depicts, in abstract but with characteristic forms, a rural scene of a cow lying amongst trees. The cow is a frequently recurring motif in Campendonk’s oeuvre. His motifs are, as far as possible, reduced to simple, triangular shapes. The use of bright colours with an absence of distinguishing contours is a striking feature of his work. This optimises the effect of contrast. Rather than creating a realistic depiction, Campendonk wanted to use colour, shape and composition to express his emotions. This approach reveals the influence of the German expressionistic and artistic movement ‘Der blaue Reiter’, of which Campendonk became a member in 1911.