Oskar Kokoschka, (1886–1980), Prague – View from the Monastery of the Knights of the Cross with a Red Star, 1934 oil on canvas 85 x 115 cm with frame 113 x 144 cm signed lower right: OK verso old exhibition stamps verso old exhibition label Kunsthalle Basel, no. 0881 verso old label from the National Gallery Prague Provenance: — The first owner, Ladislav Jerie, based in Ostrava (art collector, friend of the painter and the general manager of the Emperor Ferdinand Northern Railway) bought the work in 1935 at the Dr Hugo Feigl Gallery, Prague. (Hugo Feigl was a friend of Kokoschka’s and his art dealer in Prague between 1934 and 1938, later owner of the Feigl Gallery in New York) — Bedrich Jerie, Prague — Alexander Jerie, Prague — Restitution from the National Gallery in Prague — Gallery Zlata husa Exhibited: — Dr Feigl Gallery, Prague, 1934 — International Exhibition, S.V.U. Manes, Prague, October – November, 1934 — Oskar Kokoschka, Kunsthalle, Basel, March 22 – April 27, 1947, no. 151, introduced by Fritz Schmalenbach — Oskar Kokoschka, Kunsthaus, Zürich, July 3 – August 31, 1947 — Oskar Kokoschka, Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, November 1 – December 31, 1947 — Oskar Kokoschka. Paintings, Watercolors, Drawings and Lithographs, The National Gallery Prague, April 4 – May 20, 1956 — Oskar Kokoschka. Paintings, Watercolors, Drawings and Lithographs, House of Arts, Brno, May 27 – June 17, 1956, cat. no. 5 — Oskar Kokoschka: An Exhibition of the National Gallery Prague, Galerie Welz, Salzburg, July – August, 1956, cat. no. 6, edited by Jan Tomes and Friedrich Welz — Oskar Kokoschka: An Exhibition of the National Gallery Prague, Vienna, October 1956, cat. no. 6 — Oskar Kokoschka: An Exhibition of the National Gallery Prague, Linz, 1956, cat. no. 6 — Oskar Kokoschka – Documentation, Exhibition in the birthplace of the artist, Raiffeisenbank Pöchlarn, June 21 – September 14, 1980 — Oskar Kokoschka: The Early Years, 2 paintings from the collection of The National Gallery Prague, drawings and watercolors, The National Gallery Prague, November – December, 1986 — Oskar Kokoschka. Emigrant Life – Prague and London 1934–1953, Kunsthalle Bielefeld, November 20, 1994 – February 19, 1995, edited by Jutta Hülsewig-Johnen, reproduced in exhibition catalogue, p. 277, no. 15, reproduced in color, p. 65 — Oskar Kokoschka. Exile and New Home, Albertina, Vienna, April 11 – July 13, 2008 — Oskar Kokoschka and the Prague Cultural Scene, Kunstforum Ostdeutsche Galerie Regensburg, September 27, 2014 – January 11, 2015, edited by Agnes Tieze, reproduced in exhibition catalogue, p. 28, cat. no. 2 — Kokoschka and Prague. Interwar Art Scene 1934–1938, The National Gallery Prague, February 20 – June 28, 2015, reproduced in exhibition catalogue, p. 28, cat. no. 2 Literature: — Jacques Lassaigne, ‘Kokoschka au Musée de Zurich’. In: Arts, Paris, September 26, 1947, p. 8, no. 43 — Michelangelo Masciotta, Kokoschka, Del Turco Ed., Florence 1949 (Maestri moderni), with catalogue of works 1939–1949, cat. no. XLII — Ernst Schremmer, ‘Kosmos und Humanität. Oskar Kokoschka zum fünfundsiebzigsten Geburtstag und zu seinen böhmischen Bildern’. In: Sudetenland, Jg. 3, 1961, H. 1, p. 12 — Joseph P. Hodin, ‘Oskar Kokoschka and Masaryk’. In: Miloslav Rechcigl (Ed.): Czechoslovakia Past and Present. The Hague [u.a.]: de Gruyter Mouton 1968, p. 1416-1428, p. 1419 — Joseph P. Hodin, ‘Kokoschka und Prag’. In: Prager Nachrichten, Jg. 31, 1980, no. 3, June, p. 33-38 — Jan M. Tomes, Oskar Kokoschka, Odeon, Prague 1988, no. 2, p. 13, 24, reproduced, p. 25 — Heinz Spielmann: Oskar Kokoschka. Leben und Werk. DuMont, Köln 2003, p. 308-309 (with Illu. – Michelangelo Masciotta, Oskar Kokoschka, Florence, 1949, pl. XLII.) — Hans Maria Wingler, Oskar Kokoschka, Das Werk des Malers, Salzburg, 1956, reproduced, p. 324, no. 287 — Jan Tomes, KOKOSCHKA: The Artist in Prague, Paul Hamlyn London, 1967, reproduced, p. 24–25 — Johann Winkler (Ed.), Oskar Kokoschka. Gemälde und Graphik 1906–1976, Galerie Welz, Salcburg 1995, no. 6 — Frantisek Dvorak, OSKAR KOKOSCHKA (1886-1980), Regulus Praha, 2011, reproduced, p. 57 — Jutta Hülsewig-Johnen (Ed.), Oskar Kokoschka. Emigrant Life – Prague and London 1934–1953, Kunsthalle Bielefeld, 1995, reproduced, p. 277, no. 15, reproduced in color, p. 65 — Agnes Tieze (Ed.), Oskar Kokoschka and the Prague Cultural Scene, Wienand Verlag Köln, Kunstforum Ostdeutsche Galerie Regensburg, 2015, reproduced, p. 28, cat. no. 2 Consulted with Johann Winkler (renowned expert on the oeuvre of Oskar Kokoschka, curator and author of Kokoschka’s monograph) and Katharina Erling (author of The Catalogue Raisonné of Oskar Kokoschka’s Oil Paintings, published in cooperation with the Fondation Oskar Kokoschka, Vevey). Johann Winkler: ‘I am convinced that this painting is the best view of Prague Kokoschka ever achieved.’ The presented painting ranks among Kokoschka’s three most important depictions of Prague, alongside his Prague – The Charles Bridge, 1934 (The National Gallery in Prague) and Prague – Hradcany and Petrin Hill, 1936 (The Phillips Collection, Washington D.C.). It is listed as the second oil painting completed by Kokoschka after his arrival to Prague in 1934 (The first painting from the series Prague – The View from Strahov, 1934, oil on canvas, 76 x 108 cm, is in the collection of Musée Jenisch – Fondation Oskar Kokoschka, Vevey), also mentioned in the archive of Dr. Karl B. Palkovsky (the painter’s father in law) and in the Catalogue Raisonné of Oskar Kokoschka’s Oil Paintings by H.M.Wingler (published during Oskar Kokoschka’s life in 1956). In his masterpiece Prague – View from the Monastery of the Knights of the Cross with a Red Star, Kokoschka captures the view of Hradcany, and the Vltava river with Charles Bridge from the Monastery of the Knights of the Cross with a Red Star. The focal point of the work is not the city’s buildings, but rather the breathtaking view of the urban panorama with greenery in the foreground. The sophisticated and refined use of trees helps to create a powerful spherical perspective. Reduced buyer’s premium for this lot: 15 % included VAT and Droite de Suite. All bidders for this lot will have to agree to the conditions of participation before the auction. Auction, Prague, Czech Republic.