Erich Behrendt, attr.

Erich Behrendt (Wehlau 1899 – 1983 Erlangen), zugeschrieben, “Landschaft bei Orselino”, 1930ies,
oil colour on canvas, 55 x 65 cm.

The painting shows similarities to some Murnau landscapes of the Blaue Reiter artists Gabriele Münter (1877-1962) and Wassily Kandinsky (1866-1944). Erich Behrendt exhibited in the 1920ies at the Berliner Sezession and the Freien Secession. He was influenced by the known expressionist painters like Kirchner and Schmidt-Rottluff. 

The „Landschaft bei Orselino“ was accquired in the mid 1990ies in Munich. Another painting with an almost identical composition is known as bookcover from 1965. The signatur is difficult to read and was interpreted for many years as „Gebhard“ – with the new attribution, it could be read „Behrendt“ aswell.