Vegetable Fields is an oil painting by the German Expressionist August Macke, dated 1911, and held in the collection of the Kunstmuseum Bonn ^[3]. The work belongs to the period when Macke was a leading member of Der Blaue Reiter (The Blue Rider), the German Expressionist group known for its spiritual approach to color and form ^[1]. Painted just three years before the artist's death in the First World War, the canvas measures 47.2 × 63.2 cm ^[3].

Provenance: the Kunstmuseum Bonn collection

The painting is documented in the collection of the Kunstmuseum Bonn, where it remains today ^[3]. The museum's holdings of Macke's work are extensive, reflecting the artist's deep ties to the Rhineland region where he was educated and lived ^[1].

Context: Macke and Der Blaue Reiter

Macke was one of the leading members of the German Expressionist group Der Blaue Reiter, which sought to express spiritual truths through art ^[1]. His career unfolded during a particularly active period for German art, witnessing both the development of the main German Expressionist movements and the arrival of successive avant-garde movements from the rest of Europe ^[1]. As an artist of his time, Macke knew how to integrate into his painting the elements of the avant-garde that most interested him ^[1].

Artist biography: a short career cut short

August Robert Ludwig Macke was born on 3 January 1887 in Meschede, Westphalia, the only son of a building contractor and amateur artist ^[1]. Shortly after his birth, the family settled in Cologne, where Macke was educated at the Kreuzgymnasium (1897–1900) and became a friend of Hans Thuar, who also became an artist ^[1]. Like his friend Franz Marc and Otto Soltau, Macke was one of the young German artists who died in the First World War ^[1]. He died on 26 September 1914 ^[1].

Dating: 1911 in Macke's development

The painting is dated to 1911 ^[3], a pivotal year in Macke's artistic trajectory. This period saw him fully engaged with the ideas of Der Blaue Reiter, integrating avant-garde elements into his distinctive pictorial language ^[1]. The work predates his famous 1914 journey to Tunisia, which would prove transformative for his use of color.

Frequently asked questions

What is the date of Vegetable Fields?

The painting is dated to 1911 ^[3].

Where is Vegetable Fields located?

The work is held in the collection of the Kunstmuseum Bonn ^[3].

What are the dimensions of the painting?

Vegetable Fields measures 47.2 × 63.2 cm ^[3].