Fischinger, Oskar. 23 Original Tempera on Paper for the Abstract Animation Film "Quadrate / Squares"
Berlin. 1934. Original artwork (12 1/8 x 11 5/8").
Twenty-three paintings representing a substantial part of Oskar Fischinger's short film "Quadrate (Squares)," a four minute silent 35mm abstract animation film in color. The 271 separate "frames" for this film were painted in tempera on paper by Oskar Fischinger in July 1934, as cited by William Moritz, in "Optical Poetry The Life and Work of Oskar Fischinger," 2004. Moritz further suggests that some of these paintings may have been done a little earlier.
"The drawings are numbered 1-2505 to 1-2776, indicating perhaps that they were once planned as part of a larger film... Fischinger had these 271 drawings photographed and loop-printed so that they appeared several times in the same and different colour combinations, positive and negative (which was easily possible by manipulating the filters used to print out the three-color separation master)... the serene flow of squares shaped in different colours is one of Fischinger's most striking, interesting and important compositions, prefiguring 'Radio Dynamics.' The animation paintings, like those of Kreise, are each artworks in themselves, prefiguring the balancing squares of Josef Albers." (William Moritz, as above, pages 221/2)
Our 23 tempera paintings are not framed and are all stamped "Nachlass Oskar Fischinger" in the top margin. Thirteen paintings are in fine condition, incl. ## 2510, 2517, 2518, 2525, 2543, 2546, 2570, 2573, 2606, 2608, 2610, 2694, 2698.
The following paintins with minor to medium blemishes as described: #2547 (1/2 x 1" light water stain at bottom edge right corner), 2567 (minor 1 x 1/8" water exposure at right lower corner), 2584 (minor, less than 1/8" wide border due to water exposure along most of bottom edge, and small water stains in orange), 2597 (1/2 x 3" water exposure), 2612 (small water stain 3/4" in diameter in blue-green square), 2679 (light 1/2" minor surface crack at upper left corner), 2688 (small area with minor ruffling, and 1/2 inch closed tear at right edge), 2691 (minor fraying along left edge), 2716 (minor blemish at bottom right, red edge), and 2724 (small water stain in blue square).
Inspired when viewing Lichtspiel Opus (Play of Light), a 13 minute film of nonobjective color effects by Walter Ruttmann in 1921, Oskar Fischinger embarked on a most illustrious career as a filmmaker. Using skills from his background as an engineer he invented the so-called "Wax-Slicing Machine" to create abstract imagery for film. Fischinger also produced several films for advertising purposes using abstract animation techniques, particularly after the Nazis had taken power. Best known is his cigarette commercial "Muratti greift ein (Muratti Intervenes)."
Oskar continued to produce numerous abstract animation films, now often referred to as "Optical Poetry" or "Visual Music," many times synchronizing the abstract imagery of his films with classical music. His 1934 film "Quadrate, one of Oskar's most daring experiments... was designed specifically for the GasparColor process, which used a three-color separation negative." (William Moritz. Optical Poetry, pp. 54,55). Fischinger's manipulation of filters, combined with loop printing allowed for the imagery to appear in variant sequences.
Life under the Nazis regime became more and more difficult for the Fischingers. Oskar was arrested twice but, with the help of friends, was released within days. Anonymously his film "Komposition in Blau" (Composition in Blue) had been admitted to the 1935 Venice Film Festival. Despite its popularity it did not win due to the fact that Reichsfilmkammer President Fritz Scheuermann was a member of the jury. Later in 1935, an MGM agent had brought two of Oskar's films, "Composition in Blue" and "Muratti greift ein," to the attention of Ernst Lubitsch. As a result Lubitsch sent the agent back to Berlin to hire Oskar to work for him. Arrangements were made for Oskar to leave for Hollywood immediately, and Elfriede and their sons followed two month later.
While working for several studios in Hollywood, Fischinger kept producing "Optical Poetry" and gradually turned to nonobjective painting. Fischinger is considered by some as a man ahead of his time. Among other capacities he is credited to be "an inventor of the music video, and prophet of Op Art as well as contemporary computer-generated motion graphics." (Nathan Vonk)
His film "Composition in Blue" was awarded the King's Price at the Brussels International Exposition in 1935. In 1938 MGM released Fischinger's "Optical Poem." It was shown all across the world. His 1947 "Motion Painting No. 1" won the International Film Competition in Brussels in 1949. Fischinger's extensive work as a filmmaker is documented superbly in publications by William Morris, see above, and Cindy Keefer and Jaap Guldemond in "Oskar Fischinger 1900-1967. Experiments in Cinematic Abstractions."
Sachgebiete: Film, Kunstgeschichte, Moderne Kunst, Ornamentik, Aquarelle
01.08.2026 - 00:34
100000,- EUR
Eric Chaim Kline Bookseller
