Landscape with Sheaves of Corn, 1902/03

Towering sheaves of corn define this square-format, expansive, hilly landscape through their positions and proportions. In this early work, the Austrian painter Leopold Blauensteiner (1880–1947) focused on a detail that masterfully combines closeness and distance. The yellow ocher corn stooks, that were common at the time, characterize a summery landscape after the harvest. Blauensteiner studied at the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts until 1902. Afterwards, he explored Modernism, especially Japanese woodcuts, Impressionist painting and Pointillism. This painting reveals the first results of this exploration, both in terms of the composition and the detailed paint application.
Blauensteiner was three years older than Richard Gerstl (1883–1908). With his early work, and especially with his Divisionist manner of painting, he made a lasting impression on his younger fellow student.

AK, 2023