Bidspirit auction | Wolf Kahn (1927-2020)

Wolf Kahn (1927-2020) - Orange Forest. Wolf Kahn (1927-2020) | Germany Orange Forest Oil on Canvas Signed: Signed lower right in a magenta-pink pigment: “W. Kahn”. Dimensions: Artwork: 59.5 × 89 cm | 23.4 × 35 in Provenance: Acquired by the father of the current owner in New York in the 2010s. Condition: Good vintage condition; vibrant colors with a delicate, atmospheric surface; minor edge wear consistent with age; housed on its original wooden stretcher. Conditions of Sale: All lots are sold as is. See Section 4 of our Terms and Conditions for return policy. All inquiries must be made prior to bidding, as no further details can be provided after the sale. By placing a bid, you confirm that you have read and agree to our Terms and Conditions in full. Shipping: Aurora & Athena does not provide in-house shipping. The successful buyer arranges shipping directly with a company of their choice. For shipments outside the EU, Spanish export tax may apply to certain higher-value artworks; no export tax applies within the EU. Any such tax is payable by the buyer. Please refer to our Shipping & Export Information page for further details. -- This radiant oil on canvas is a quintessential example of Wolf Kahn’s unique synthesis of American Impressionism and Abstract Expressionism. The composition focuses on a dense stand of slender trees, rendered in a glowing palette of cadmium orange and golden yellow that suggests the peak of autumn or the intense light of a setting sun. Below the vibrant canopy, Kahn introduces a bold, horizontal band of shocking magenta, grounded by a thin strip of emerald green at the very base. Kahn, a student of Hans Hofmann, was a master of using color to define space and mood. In this work, the trees are not merely subjects but vertical rhythms that break the field of color. The hazy, almost ethereal quality of the light is achieved through thin, layered glazes, creating a luminous “glow” that is the hallmark of his late, celebrated style.