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Graveyards
I love the romance of old cemeteries, especially those of the end of the 19th century with
their nostalgic tomb sculptures and most the Jewish ones, where the grass is growing
between the stones and all given back to nature “ad olam”, until the end of the world.
As you can see in my “A Nightmare’s Diary” I travelled therefore to the famous Pére
Lachaise in Paris and Highgate in London, the “Holy Sand” in Worms , the greatest
Jewish Cemetery of Eastern Europe in Lodz and, of course the old Jewish Cemetery in
Prag. The consciousness of our transitoriness seems somehow natural to me and not
negative at all, as far as we don’t become obsessed of it totally.
their nostalgic tomb sculptures and most the Jewish ones, where the grass is growing
between the stones and all given back to nature “ad olam”, until the end of the world.
As you can see in my “A Nightmare’s Diary” I travelled therefore to the famous Pére
Lachaise in Paris and Highgate in London, the “Holy Sand” in Worms , the greatest
Jewish Cemetery of Eastern Europe in Lodz and, of course the old Jewish Cemetery in
Prag. The consciousness of our transitoriness seems somehow natural to me and not
negative at all, as far as we don’t become obsessed of it totally.
The little churchyard of Remseck near Stuttgart was
the first Jewish cemetery I got to know. The sight of
this lost place with the reddish tombstones and the
faded grass around was absolutely romantic. But be
cautious: The romantic on my painting is dubious! If
you take a nearer look, you can also see the bones of
concentration camp victims shining through. There's
no Jew living at this place any more and we know why.
Innocent romantic isn't appropriate at all!
You can easily see, that I used the same tombstones
for the painting left below combined with Helleborus
plants, which are to me symbols of eternal life.
the first Jewish cemetery I got to know. The sight of
this lost place with the reddish tombstones and the
faded grass around was absolutely romantic. But be
cautious: The romantic on my painting is dubious! If
you take a nearer look, you can also see the bones of
concentration camp victims shining through. There's
no Jew living at this place any more and we know why.
Innocent romantic isn't appropriate at all!
You can easily see, that I used the same tombstones
for the painting left below combined with Helleborus
plants, which are to me symbols of eternal life.
| Dubious Romantic (13.1x19.2), oil on acrylic, 1979 |
| Churchyard Paraphrase I (9.4x11.6), oil on acrylic, 1986 |
| Easter (25.6x40.4), oil on acrylic, 1984 |
| Churchyard Paraphrase II (9.4x11.6), oil on acrylic, 1986 |
| Memorials (20x27.6), pastel, 1989 |
| Churchyard Paraphrase III (9.4x11.6), oil on acrylic, 1986 |
| Haigerloch I (9.2x11.6) oil on acrylic, 1985 |
| Haigerloch III (9.3x11.5), oil on acrylic, 1985 |
| Haigerloch II (9.3x11.5), oil on acrylic, 1985 |
The romantic of the Jewish
cemetery of Haigerloch is partly
destroyed and underlayed with
squared paper (all painted!). The
most terrifying objects I saw in
Auschwitz were the books of
squared paper with the
meticulous notes about the daily
death rates. The cemetery of
Haigerloch has been the place,
where 1944 the Jews were
collected for their deportation.
cemetery of Haigerloch is partly
destroyed and underlayed with
squared paper (all painted!). The
most terrifying objects I saw in
Auschwitz were the books of
squared paper with the
meticulous notes about the daily
death rates. The cemetery of
Haigerloch has been the place,
where 1944 the Jews were
collected for their deportation.
| Haigerloch IV (9.3x11.6), oil on acrylic, 1985 |
| Haigerloch V (9.4x11.5), oil on acrylic, 1985 |
The five paintings below are all impressions from the Jewish cemetery of Venice situated on the Lido Island. As
they were composed as a unit, they're shown here in a row, that you can get an idea of the entire composition.
they were composed as a unit, they're shown here in a row, that you can get an idea of the entire composition.
| Hebrew Cemetery on Lido I (20x27.6), oil on acrylic, 1996 |
| Hebrew Cemetery on Lido II (20x27.6), oil on acrylic, 1996 |
| Hebrew Cemetery on Lido III (20x27.6), oil on acrylic, 1996 |
| Hebrew Cemetery on Lido IV (20x27.6), oil on acrylic, 1996 |
The Hebrew cemetery of Venice is in use until
today. It's therefore not allowed to make photos
there, but you may draw. Curiously enough the
cemetery's position isn't shown exactly on any map!
today. It's therefore not allowed to make photos
there, but you may draw. Curiously enough the
cemetery's position isn't shown exactly on any map!
| Hebrew Cemetery on Lido V (20x27.6), oil on acrylic, 1996 |
| Graveyard at the Seashore (20x27.6), oil on acrylic, 1996 |