Melancholic scene at the table: Portrait painting by Berlin painter Wolfgang Koch, 1979.
This expressive painting by Wolfgang Koch depicts a woman with reddish-brown hair sitting alone at a table. In front of her are a glass of red wine, a candle in a bottle, and an ashtray. The scene is characterized by a muted color palette and strong contrasts of light and shadow. The composition appears reduced yet deeply emotional—an example of Koch's magical realism.
About the artist:
Wolfgang Koch (1933 Berlin 2007)
Wolfgang Koch discovered his passion for painting after completing his apprenticeship as a painter and decorator and obtaining his journeyman's certificate as a building painter.
Koch's work fluctuated between realistic attention to detail and emotional condensation. He was particularly active in the Berlin art scene in the 1970s and 1980s. Wolfgang Koch's themes include the visual depiction of loneliness and the inner states of human beings. Berlin motifs often inspire his paintings. Often, people find themselves at odds with the city, which is foreign to them. With an eye for quiet drama, Koch created images that are psychologically charged and visually precisely composed.