Julius Schlesinger, Berlin (a gift from the artist circa 1919)
Private Collection (by descent from the above; sale: Christie's, New York, 5th May 2005, lot 332)
Purchased at the above sale by the present owner

The canvas is not lined and there appear to be no signs of retouching visible under UV light. There are seven small areas of sewn repairs to the canvas visible on the reverse. These are most likely to be by the artist himself as no retouching corollates to these repairs. There are small areas of scattered tiny paint losses, mainly along the upper edge and just above the yellow hill at the left of the trees. Apart from some light undulation to the canvas, this work is in very good condition.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Painted in 1919, Blitz in den Dünen is an important landscape that Pechstein completed in the aftermath of World War I. In its beautifully vibrant colouration, the present work is a perfect example of the artist's mature Expressionist style. Despite painting fewer works, the intensity and vibrancy of Pechstein's work was increased, producing some of his most significant paintings. Stylistically the present work corresponds closely to Expressionist ideas of the former Brücke member, aiming towards a distortion of form and perspective and stridency of vision. Indeed the abstracted forms and prismatic shapes and colouring brilliantly underline Pechstein's continuous experimentation with the painterly language of Expressionism.

Having returned home to Berlin after the war, the artist described his emotional turmoil in a letter from 6th August 1919 to his friend Georg Biermann: '...until in spring 1917 I can return to Berlin, in order to throw myself ravenously into the long desired sea of colours. From time to time I still have dreams waking me at night, my nerves refusing to get used to the tranquillity of bourgeois existence. Everything is new: How did I prime my canvases in the past and what colours did I use? (...) Now this wild dream has come to an end. Finally I am completely free, sitting in my beloved Nidden, working and bursting with energy' (quoted in Max Pechstein im Brücke-Museum (exhibition catalogue), 2001-02, p. 45, translated from German).  

The art critic Paul Fletcher commented on Pechstein's remarkable stylistic development in the 1920s: 'The strong impact evident in Pechstein's works of that period is probably due to his acquired balance between experiences and his own creation. In his earlier work either one or the other is dominant whereas in the 1920s Pechstein found the perfect harmony. The artist abandons the stylisation of forms and creates compositions in which the elements of colour, shape and form merge into one organic whole' (quoted in Max Pechstein im Brücke-Museum (exhibition 🧜catalogue), 2001-02, p. 44, translated from German).