August Macke: “Four Girls” (1912/13), Original Dietz Replica

Radiant yellow, vibrant red, bold blue: the intensity and unique luminosity of the colors are typical of August Macke's work. In his paintings, Macke depicts an intact world, primarily featuring people. As a person and as a painter, August Macke was deeply influenced by the cheerful spirit of the Rhineland, and perhaps for this very reason is one of the most famous German painters of the 20th century. Macke was a member of the artists' group "Der Blaue Reiter" (The Blue Rider) and the most important representative of Rhenish Expressionism. He is considered the greatest German talent for color of his generation. But he also distinguished himself as one of the greats of 20th-century art with his drawings, sketches, and designs. August Macke, born on January 3, 1887, in Meschede, began his studies at the School of Applied Arts and the Academy in Düsseldorf, but left prematurely. On trips to France, Italy, and the Netherlands, he then focused his studies primarily on the Impressionists. He exhibited several times with the artists of the "Blue Rider" group, whom he had known since 1911, and contributed to their almanac of the same name. Financial support was secured through his patron Bernhard Koehler, an uncle of his wife Elisabeth.