The artwork “Margarethe” by Anselm Kiefer, created in 1981, is a symbolic painting rendered using mixed media on canvas. This significant piece of the New European Painting movement measures 280 x 380 cm and is housed in the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) in San Francisco, California, USA.
The artwork features a textured surface with dominant shades of gray and ochre, which adds to its tactile quality. The composition seems to depict an abstracted landscape, with elongated, organic forms rising upwards. The overall palette and impasto technique convey a sense of solemnity and depth, evoking a contemplative and somber mood. The presence of earthy tones intertwined with the mixed media materials used by Kiefer underscores the symbolic resonance and layered meanings inherent in the piece. The name “Margarethe” is inscribed among the tendrils of material, adding a layer of narrative intrigue to the artwork.
