Artwork Description

Title: Fensterbild 2 ‘…bis zum Morgengrauen’
Artist: Reiner Kallhardt
Date: 2005
Medium: Oil on canvas
Dimensions: 50.4 x 50.4 in (128 x 128 cm)

1. Artwork Identification
Fensterbild 2 ‘…bis zum Morgengrauen’ is an arresting abstract composition by German artist Reiner Kallhardt, painted in oil on canvas with a commanding square format of 128 x 128 cm. The painting is constructed through a dense lattice of nested squares, arranged in a modular grid structure. The palette is dominated by vibrant reds, deep burgundy, cool greys, soft pinks, and near-black tones, carefully balanced in repetition and variation across the field. The dynamic chromatic interplay evokes a sense of rhythmic movement and spatial tension.

2. Artistic Style and Influences
The work exemplifies Kallhardt’s signature engagement with Concrete Art, a movement emphasizing non-representational geometry, formal order, and chromatic precision. Drawing on the visual language of Josef Albers and Max Bill, Kallhardt manipulates repetition and variation to create visual harmony within constraint. The layered square format and chromatic gradation recall the logic of seriality and visual perception, hallmarks of post-war European Constructivism.

3. Historical Context
Created in 2005, this painting forms part of Kallhardt’s Fensterbild (“window picture”) series, which draws on the symbolic potential of the grid as a window to perception and inner states. The subTitle: ‘…bis zum Morgengrauen’ (“…until dawn”) adds a temporal and emotional dimension, suggesting nocturnal vigilance, unfolding time, or a journey through the night—imbuing the rational grid with a lyrical undertone. It reflects the period's heightened interest in revisiting mid-century abstraction with renewed emotionality and conceptual clarity.

4. Provenance
Provenance documentation can be provided upon contact.

5. Condition and Conservation
The painting is in very good condition. The surface is clean, with no evidence of flaking, paint loss, or structural distortion. The canvas remains taut and well-stretched, and the oil medium retains its vibrancy and integrity.

6. Artistic Significance
Fensterbild 2 ‘…bis zum Morgengrauen’ stands as a powerful meditation on the convergence of order and emotion, structure and atmosphere. It demonstrates Kallhardt’s ability to imbue geometric abstraction with poetic nuance. As part of a significant body of work from the mid-2000s, it contributes meaningfully to ongoing dialogues in contemporary abstraction and holds strong appeal for collectors of Concrete and Optical Art.