Margarete

"Margarethe," created in the year 1981, is one of Anselm Kiefer's most famous paintings. “Margarete is a blonde woman, which is an ideal female quality associated with German women, while Shulamite, the brunette, is a Jewish female protagonist of the 'Song of Solomon,' who is considered an essence of true and selfless love”(ezinearticles.com). In this painting, Kiefer used a blonde woman and a brunette woman to convey complete opposite characteristics but at the same time, what they want in the end is the same. (ezinearticles.com).

In his entire body of work, Kiefer argues with the past and addresses outlawed and controversial issues from recent history. “Themes from Nazi rule are particularly reflected in his work; for instance, the painting "Margarethe" (oil and straw on canvas) was inspired by Paul Celan's well-known poem "Todesfuge" ("Death Fugue")” (ezinearticles.com). “For many decades, there were polemical discussions in the media over the value of his artistic work” (all-art.org). “The poetry describes the murderous instincts of Hitler, and the ordeal of the refugees at the Nazi concentration camps. ”Margarethe" is the last in the series of paintings based on 'Death Fugue’”(ezinearticles.com). Like most of his other paintings, this one also uses natural earth substances, such as soil, lead, sand, straw, etc. “Kiefer has used straw, bundled in the form of golden coiffure to symbolize blonde hair. He also used black-grey paint, for Shulamite's burnt hair” (ezinearticles.com).

When I look at this painting, I simply just see straw painted to look like it has grown straight out of the ground. It kind of resembles corn growing. After looking this painting up, and realizing what Anselm wanted to portray, the painting made a little sense. I can see the difference in the blonde and the brunette hair. When looking at this painting, reminds me of the 1994 piece of art titled “Tree Cairn” by Andy Goldsworthy (Lucie-Smith-159). It looks nothing like “Margarethe” but everything in it is a natural resource and in all of Anselm’s paintings, he uses natural resources (.

all-art.com. Anselm Kiefer. 23 Nov. 2009
<http://www.all-art.org/art_20th_century/Kiefer1.html>.
ezinearticles.com. 2009. His Most Famous Painting- Margarethe-Anselm Kiefer. 23 Nov. 2009
<http://ezinearticles.com/?His-Most-Famous-Painting---Margarethe---Anselm-Kiefer&id=2283519>.
Lucie-Smith, Edward. movements in art since 1945. New York: THAMES & HUDSON INC., 1995.