Max Pechstein, Trout Pond in Gliesnitz, circa 1944 by Atelier Liesjes

A serene, expressionistic landscape in oil paint: a tranquil trout pond or stream in the centre, surrounded by tall, dark trees with bare branches (typical of winter or early spring). The water surface reflects the blue sky and clouds in shades of blue and green, with subtle ripples. In the background, rolling green hills with scattered farms or cottages (white with red roofs) and a dense forest edge. The sky is cloudy with a slight glow, the colours are muted but harmonious (green, blue, brown, grey); the brushstrokes are thick and expressive, with a melancholic, introspective atmosphere.
Meaning This work from around 1944 was created during the final years of the war, when Pechstein lived largely in isolation in Gliesnitz (now Glisno near Szczecin, Pomerania). The trout pond symbolises tranquillity, purity and a refuge in nature amid war and threat (he was banned as 'degenerate' and lived in relative seclusion). The landscape celebrates simplicity and connection with the countryside, as a form of inner escape and hope for peace. It contrasts with his earlier vivid coastal works; here, a subdued, almost contemplative tone dominates. Technique Oil on canvas: thick, expressive brushstrokes with impasto for texture in trees and water, combined with a muted, harmonious colour palette. Few hard contours, more fluid transitions and reflections for depth and atmosphere – typical of Pechstein's later, more subdued style in the war and post-war years, retaining expressionist emotion but with less fierce contrasts.

Hermann Max Pechstein (Zwickau, 31 December 1881 – Berlin, 29 June 1955) was a painter from Germany. Pechstein is considered an important representative of Expressionism. In 1918, after the First World War, Pechstein co-founded the Arbeitsrat für Kunst (Workers' Council for Art) and in 1922 he became a member of the Prussian Academy of Arts.