Gertrude Degenhardt, Two Fantastic Scenes, 1970, Oil on Hardboard, Set of 2

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Gertrude Degenhardt (1940 New York - 2025 Greifswald), Two Fantastic Scenes, 1970. Oil on hardboard, each 27.5 cm x 22.5 … Read more Gertrude Degenhardt (1940 New York - 2025 Greifswald), Two Fantastic Scenes, 1970. Oil on hardboard, each 27.5 cm x 22.5 cm (pictures), 38 cm x 33 cm (frame), each signed “G. Degenhardt” and dated “[19]70” in the center below the horizon line, in old frames selected and co-designed by the artist.



- Image dreams -


In an olive-green world, a naked woman nestles against a horse. The coloring and limbs make them appear as one being, with the woman seemingly asleep while the animal stretches its head forward and sticks out its red tongue in a kind of defensive gesture. The horse notices the figure in the other picture, which at the same time seems to be dreamed by the woman. In a gray world, the creature appears like an all-consuming blackness from which an obviously dead goose protrudes, blood dripping from its beak. The eerie creature with the immense skull and aged face stretches the goose toward the horse and the woman. The red of the beak and blood and the red of the tongue and nipples further reinforce the connection, while the yellow forms a color accent opposite to the black.
The fantastical, grotesque juxtaposition invites viewers to develop stories and explore the meaning of the encounter. However, the creatures become increasingly enigmatic, which lends them a magical effect.
The artist has colored the broken edges of the frames to match the respective color scheme, allowing the colors to penetrate the frame and continue beyond it. See less