Artwork Description

Title: Kreuze V1 – V4
Artist: Reiner Kallhardt
Date: 2011–2012
Medium: Oil on canvas
Dimensions: 35.4 x 35.4 in (90 x 90 cm) each

1. Artwork Identification
Kreuze V1 – V4 is a cohesive and visually arresting four-part painting by German artist Reiner Kallhardt. Executed in oil on canvas between 2011 and 2012, the series consists of four square panels, each measuring 90 x 90 cm. In these works, Kallhardt orchestrates a complex grid of vertical and horizontal bars, solid rectangles, and intervals of negative space, rendered in vibrant hues of violet, yellow, and olive green. The dark framing matrix within each canvas intensifies the chromatic contrasts, yielding a bold visual impact.

2. Artistic Style and Influences
Kallhardt’s Kreuze series exemplifies his ongoing commitment to geometric abstraction and Concrete Art. The works resonate with the rational clarity of Bauhaus and De Stijl movements, while also evoking echoes of Josef Albers' chromatic studies and Max Bill’s formal precision. The vibrant opposition of complementary tones—particularly the interplay between violet and yellow—creates a pulsating field of tension and equilibrium. Kallhardt’s meticulous visual grammar lends the works a structured dynamism and meditative depth.

3. Historical Context
Produced in the early 2010s, Kreuze V1 – V4 reflects a contemporary iteration of post-war abstraction that honors the legacies of European Constructivism and Minimalism. During this period, geometric painters like Kallhardt re-engaged analog methodologies in a digital era, emphasizing manual precision and material presence. His works function as both visual studies and philosophical reflections on systems, variation, and the properties of color in space.

4. Provenance
Provenance documentation can be provided upon contact.

5. Condition and Conservation
All four canvases are in very good condition. The surfaces present clean and well-preserved paint layers with no evidence of restoration or damage. The pigment is stable, and the edges and corners are structurally sound, consistent with the artist’s technique and careful application.

6. Artistic Significance
Kreuze V1 – V4 stands as a testament to Reiner Kallhardt’s mastery of systematic abstraction. These works engage the viewer intellectually and perceptually, balancing chromatic vitality with compositional rigor. As a unified suite, they reflect the artist’s lifelong exploration of visual logic and serial form, making them a significant acquisition for collectors of contemporary geometric abstraction and postwar European art.