Karl Heinz Essig (en)

* 1935; † 2021

This work depicts a tranquil, almost ethereal landscape. Tall, slender trees frame a secluded house that reveals itself only hesitantly within the picture plane. Muted, earthy colours overlap like memories, lending the scene depth and atmosphere. Traces of the drawing process and overpainting blur the boundaries of time and space, transforming the place into an inner image – calm, contemplative and situated somewhere between perception and memory.

Five rust-coloured columns, standing like silent sentinels in a landscape of dark blue, grey and black, depict a place where time and memory merge. Their surfaces appear weathered, as though wind and history have left their mark. Hovering above them is a light-coloured rectangle, like a fragmented thought or a fading cloud, lending the image a fragile lightness. The brushstrokes are rough and delicate at the same time; they speak of long days, of structure and decay, of silence and resistance. It is a poetic echo of transience, a visual poem about what remains when all else fades away.

This painting depicts a mysterious scene in which white eye-flowers rise from a brown vessel – like thoughts emerging from the depths of consciousness. Each of these flowers bears a single eye, as if they were silent observers of an inner world. Around them float further eyes, detached from the body, symbolising perception, memory and the invisible. The background is grey and dreamlike, criss-crossed by fine traces and splinters of colour that appear like fleeting emotions. It is an image that does not speak, but gazes – inviting the viewer to see themselves. A poetic glimpse into the depths of the soul.

A vast sky stretches out over an open landscape, streaked with dramatic clouds in shades of grey, blue and warm tones – as if the atmosphere itself were coming to life. Beneath it lies the land in muted colours, with hills and shapes that hint at memories of vegetation and distant places. The brushstrokes are lively and free, telling of wind, change and the quiet power of nature. This painting is a moment between light and dark, between setting out and reflection – a poetic interplay of colour and emotion that draws the eye into the depths and touches the soul.

This artwork depicts a delicate, sketch-like representation of a female figure in a seated or slightly turned pose. The lines appear deliberately simplified and spontaneous, creating a sense of intimacy and movement. Dark, almost black areas of colour stand out in stark contrast against the light, slightly yellowed-looking background. Around the figure, loosely applied, abstract traces of colour in shades of blue and green can be seen, lending the picture a lively, almost flowing atmosphere. The work is executed on irregularly cut paper and mounted on a larger, white passe-partout. Below the image is a handwritten signature, which further emphasises the artistic character. Overall, the picture conveys an expressive, intimate mood and is reminiscent of a quick snapshot – raw, personal and immediate.

The window becomes a bridge between two worlds: the visible and the intangible. Light and shadow interplay, as if seeking to dissolve the boundaries between reality and memory. The composition appears serene yet full of depth – a moment of pause in which time stands still for an instant.

A delicate hint of colour and form unfolds in this work, which depicts a plant in a simple vessel – not as a botanical study, but as a poetic symbol of growth and stillness. The long, pointed leaves in green, blue and violet appear like thoughts stretching out from within, tentative and calm. Set against a light, textured background criss-crossed with fine lines and sketches, a sense of both lightness and depth emerges.

This image speaks of observation and intuition, of the beauty of the unassuming and the power of simplicity. The handwritten signature and the rough paper edges lend the work a personal, almost intimate touch – as if it were an excerpt from a visual diary, a moment of pause, captured in colour and line.

A vast space unfolds in gentle layers of colour – in this work, sky and earth seem to meet without touching. The upper sections, in blue and green, suggest a distant horizon, whilst below, warm tones of beige, brown and red shape the landscape.

This composition feels like a quiet poem about vastness and change. The brushstrokes are restrained yet full of movement, as if nature itself were breathing. Fine vertical lines at the bottom edge are reminiscent of grasses or tracks in a field – fleeting signs of life.

It is a picture that does not define, but opens up. A place that need not be named to be recognised. The mood is calm and expansive, carried by a colour palette that tells more than any form.

A tranquil stretch of coastline unfolds in muted colours – brown, beige and grey blend into a landscape that seems to have been shaped by wind and time. The water lies still between dark landforms, whilst a faint line of cliffs or hills looms in the distance.

This composition feels like a moment between ebb and flow, between movement and stillness. The sky is overcast, the atmosphere subdued yet full of depth. Soft, blurred brushstrokes lend the picture a dreamlike quality, as if one were looking through a memory rather than through a window.

It is a work that does not speak loudly, but tells its story quietly – of nature, transience and the beauty of the unobtrusive. A coastal scene that does not describe, but allows one to feel.

Two figures emerge from the haze of a dreamlike scene – shadowy, delicate, almost incorporeal. Their gestures are calm, almost ritualistic: one holds a white object, the other a delicate object, perhaps a flower, close to her face. The colours are soft and subdued; beige, white and blue blend into the background, whilst reddish accents on hands and arms appear like quiet exclamations.

This composition feels like a fleeting moment between encounter and memory. The figures face one another, connected by something invisible – a thought, a feeling, a silent exchange. The space around them is open and vague, permeated by hints and forms that cannot be pinned down.

It is an image that does not narrate, but asks questions. A visual poem about closeness, perception and the subtle movements of the inner self.

A wide beach stretches out, dotted with figures who stand, sit or meet in the landscape like fleeting thoughts. The scene is minimalist yet full of life – the sea lies calm in the background, with small boats sailing across it like symbols of the distant horizon. The sky shimmers in shades of blue and violet, as if the day were just dawning or drawing to a close.

This composition thrives on its restraint. The lines are sparse, the colours soft, and yet an atmosphere emerges that touches the soul deeply. It is an image that does not describe, but rather evokes memories – of summer days, of conversations in the breeze, of quietly observing the world.

A beach scene that is not loud, but lingers softly. A moment, captured between light and time.

A coastal view unfolds beneath a sky full of movement – clouds in shades of grey, blue and beige drift across the water, which quietly reflects their light. The horizon separates sky and sea, whilst in the distance birds glide through the air like thoughts.

To the right, a dark strip of land rises, angular and serene, lending the picture depth and direction. In the foreground, structures are hinted at – perhaps rocks, perhaps vegetation – in rough, lively brushstrokes.

This work is a quiet dialogue between nature and emotion. The colours are restrained, the forms open, and yet an atmosphere emerges that is uplifting. It is a picture that does not hold on, but lets things flow – like a moment by the sea that cannot be grasped, but remains.

A horizon of colour and texture runs through this work by the artist – a strip of blue and green that resembles still water or a distant line between sky and earth. It is surrounded by earthy tones – beige, brown and off-white – which are distributed across the surface in organic forms and flowing transitions.

In keeping with Karl Heinz Essig’s visual language, what emerges here is not a specific place, but an atmospheric space. The landscape is not depicted, but felt – it appears as an inner state, a memory of vastness, of movement, of the quiet flow of time.

The composition thrives on its simplicity and depth. The colours are restrained, the forms open, and yet a sense of groundedness and lightness emerges. It is a painting that does not hold on, but lets go – like a thought that slowly dissolves into colour.

A delicate bouquet unfolds in flowing watercolour tones – a large blue flower head, surrounded by small buds with reddish tips, supported by dark, almost dancing stems. The transparent vase base in greenish-blue shades anchors the composition without weighing it down.

Entirely in keeping with Karl Heinz Essig’s visual language, this depiction is not a botanical study, but a poetic symbol. The flower becomes a symbol – of transience, of beauty in the moment, of the quiet blossoming within. The colours are restrained, the forms suggested, and yet a space full of emotion and lightness emerges.

This painting thrives on the balance between line and plane, between presence and suggestion. The light background allows the forms to breathe, whilst the handwritten traces at the edge lend the work a personal, almost intimate touch.

A painting that does not describe, but rather evokes – the fleeting, the delicate, the essential.

A vast sky stretches across a dark horizon – a white, cloud-like form dominates the upper half of the picture, shifting and taking shape like a thought in motion. Beneath it lies a dark expanse that could be water or land, interspersed with subtle touches of blue and green.

In keeping with Karl Heinz Essig’s visual language, what emerges here is not a specific place, but a state of being. The landscape is not described, but felt – it appears as an inner space in which light and shadow converse.

The expressive brushwork and the reduced colour palette lend the work a quiet power. It is a painting that does not capture, but allows things to flow – like a moment between setting out and pausing. The handwritten traces at the bottom hint at a personal connection to the place, without naming it.

A work that does not depict nature, but permeates it. A visual echo of vastness, wind and inner movement.

A vessel rises from a dreamlike background – vertical brushstrokes in muted greens and beiges form the vase, whilst above it flowers in bold pinks, reds and blacks dance like emotional outbursts. The lines are expressive, the colours vibrant, and yet the composition remains calm and balanced.

The flower becomes a symbol – of vitality, of the fleeting, of that which reveals itself and yet eludes us.

The background, in soft shades of lavender, brown and beige, creates space for the forms without confining them. The expressive brushwork creates a sense of movement, whilst the handwritten traces at the edge lend the work a personal depth.

A painting that does not explain, but rather makes an impact. It invites you to linger, to feel, to engage in a quiet dialogue with colour and form.

What we see here is an abstract representation of a floral arrangement in a vase. The composition is deliberately minimalist, focusing on a few powerful forms. An intense blue dominates the picture: the pot-like body is rendered in dense, horizontal brushstrokes, whilst the loosely applied areas of colour above it, in shades of blue and green, are reminiscent of leaves or blossoms.

The linework appears spontaneous and gestural, creating a lively, almost floating effect. The light, slightly textured background allows the colours room to unfold and enhances the contrast between compact and open areas of the picture. A fine horizontal line suggests a base and subtly anchors the motif in the space.

The work is executed on paper and mounted on a white passe-partout. Handwritten notes and signatures by Karl Heinz Essig in the margins emphasise the immediate, personal character of the work and lend it the impression of a spontaneous, artistic snapshot.

The design depicts a stylised plant in a vase, rendered in a free, expressive visual style. The dark, almost black leaf shapes stand out strikingly against the light, softly shaded background and are broken up by small, pink accents. The vase appears as transparent-looking vertical lines and forms a calm counterpoint to the bold, flat elements above.

The composition thrives on the interplay between dense areas of colour and open, sketch-like sections. Fine lines and suggested contours lend the motif a certain lightness, whilst the reduced colour palette creates a clear, harmonious effect. The background remains deliberately understated, allowing the central forms room to unfold.

This evocative artwork by Karlz Heinz Essig depicts a peaceful seascape dominated by a vast sky rendered in soft, swirling aquamarine and white tones, conveying a sense of tranquility and expansiveness. The horizon is subtly suggested, creating a seamless transition between sea and sky. To the left, a cliff rises majestically, its texture defined by earthy browns and greens, reminiscent of rugged terrain. A solitary lighthouse atop the cliff serves as a focal point, symbolizing both orientation and solitude. The interplay of light and shadow lends depth to the scene and contributes to its atmospheric effect. The fusion of abstraction and realism invites the viewer to reflect on the relationship between nature and isolation. This work uniquely balances gentleness with striking structural elements, offering a harmonious and thought-provoking visual experience.

A tranquil, meditative landscape between sky, clouds and water: in muted shades of grey, blue and beige, the elements of the picture blend into one another, so that the horizon blurs almost imperceptibly between the expanse of water and the misty sky. A massive, cloud-like form pushes its way into the picture from the right and dominates the composition with soft, almost breathing contours, whilst delicate, glazed layers of colour lend the scene a floating lightness.

The pared-back, almost monochrome colour scheme and the blurred transitions create a contemplative atmosphere of vastness and stillness, interrupted only by fine, sketchy lines at the bottom of the picture, which can be interpreted as vague hints of a coastline. The large-format, tranquil composition invites the viewer to contemplate it at a leisurely pace and leaves plenty of room for the viewer’s own imagination.

Here, Karl Heinz Essig reduces the floral still life to its essential form: against a strong, rich blue – reminiscent of a vessel or an abstract plinth – rises a dense cluster of his characteristic ‘eye flowers’ – circular, blossom-like forms that emerge almost in relief from the light, earthy-greenish background and resemble stylised eyes. The blossoms appear to be modelled in a soft pastel texture and shift between delicate white and iridescent shades of grey, whilst at the lower edge of the picture a dark, window-like field with fine blue lines opens up, hinting at a mysterious depth.

The large square composition and the clear reduction to just a few forms and colour tones – earthy beige-green, rich cobalt blue, off-white – lend the work a serene, almost archaic monumentality. Thus, the classic still-life motif featuring the characteristic ‘eye flowers’ is transformed into a timeless, meditative image of quiet strength.

Here, Karl Heinz Essig places a powerful, almost black floral form at the centre of the picture against an unusual etching ground: a dark bouquet rises in dense, cloud-like clusters against an iridescent background of warm sand and cool blue-grey. Delicate, calligraphic pencil lines hint at a figure at the left-hand edge of the picture, whilst in the lower right-hand corner a small bird and delicate, flower-like circular forms – his characteristic ‘eye-flowers’ – appear as subtle secondary motifs.

The distinctive texture of the etched ground lends the surface an appealing roughness and makes the dark forms appear all the more powerful, whilst the restrained, earthy-cool colour scheme imbues the sheet with a quiet, focused atmosphere. Thus, using just a few, striking elements, a still life of a haunting, almost archaic presence is created.

A small-scale, atmospherically rich coastal scene: against a vast, sand-coloured background, delicate cloud formations in shades of pink, white and a rich violet gather, whilst the horizon, in a warm ochre, marks the transition to the calm water. Two small sailing boats add subtle accents of colour to the vast expanse, as do two sketchily rendered figures on the shore, which lend the painting a gentle narrative touch.

Delicate, grass-like strokes in the foreground suggest reeds or shore vegetation and lend the composition a sense of spatial depth. The warm undertone of the aged paper emphasises the atmospheric, slightly weathered appearance of the work. Despite its small format, Essig creates a surprising sense of expansiveness here through the loose, spontaneous application of paint and the warm, harmonious colour scheme – an intimate, poetic landscape painting with a light, almost floating quality.

A vast coastal landscape rendered in soft pink and muted green: above a gently shifting horizon, where sky and water merge almost seamlessly, lies a delicate, almost pastel-like glow that evokes the atmosphere of dawn or dusk. Fine dark streaks mark the distant outline of a headland, whilst in the foreground a strip of darker, green-ochre-coloured coastal vegetation grounds the composition and lends it a sense of spatial depth.

Here, Essig works with glazed, blurred layers of colour that lend the scene a floating, almost immaterial lightness. The restrained colour palette, rendered in shades of pink and green, and the calm, horizontally structured composition create a contemplative sense of expansiveness – a quiet, atmospheric landscape painting of subtle poetic power.

Against a delicately iridescent, pale green background, dark, almost black-violet flower stems rise up like a row of silent sentinels: Essig reduces the forms to a few powerfully rendered vertical lines – presumably tulips – whose dripping, flowing contours lend the composition an expressive dynamism. At the top of the picture, two reclining, dark shapes hint at his characteristic eye motifs, whilst a sketch-like silhouette of a head at the right-hand edge introduces a subtle narrative layer that points beyond the purely floral motif.

The contrast between the light, atmospherically blurred background and the deep, dark, almost calligraphic floral forms creates a compelling visual effect. The large-format, square composition and the clear reduction to light and dark lend the work – as the title already suggests – a mysterious, undefined presence that gives the blossoms almost human traits.

In this work, Karl Heinz Essig condenses the rugged, expansive coastal landscape of Ireland using a minimal number of artistic elements: a single, powerfully executed dark brushstroke winds its way through the composition like a stream or shoreline, lending the sheet an almost calligraphic dynamism. Delicate bird tracks and fine pencil lines add complementary accents to the vast expanse.

The warm, earthy sepia tone of the aged paper lends the picture a subdued, almost historical feel, whilst cloud-like light areas in the sky provide light and depth. By reducing the work to just a few strokes and a restrained colour palette, the artist creates an atmospheric, meditative image of vastness and stillness – very much in the spirit of a poetic observation of nature.

Here, Karl Heinz Essig transforms the classic motif of the floral still life into an idiosyncratic, dreamlike visual world: Above a slender, sketchily rendered vase rises a lush floral head composed of bold, calligraphic forms in black and dark green – interspersed with Essig’s characteristic ‘eye flowers’, whose blossom-like shapes emerge from the foliage like stylised eyes. Delicate pencil lines in the background hint at additional faces and figures, lending the still life an enigmatic, almost surreal second layer.

The warm sepia tone of the aged paper and the restrained palette of black and earth tones create a calm, meditative atmosphere, whilst the loose, spontaneous brushwork lends the work both vitality and expressiveness. The result is a still life that transcends mere representation and becomes a poetic symbol.

In this drawing, Karl Heinz Essig combines figurative elements and still life to create a dreamlike, multi-layered composition: in the upper part of the picture, a band of bright red, cloud-like forms stretches across the edge of the picture; beneath it, a delicate bouquet of finely rendered flower stems in turquoise and red unfolds. At the bottom of the picture, a stylised cat, rendered in cool shades of violet and grey, watches over the scene, whilst on the right a sketch-like figure is hinted at in fine pencil lines, lending the picture a quiet, observant presence.

The warm golden hue of the aged paper provides a tranquil backdrop for the interplay of bold colour accents and delicate, drawn lines. The result is a work brimming with poetic allusions, in which natural motifs, animals and humans merge into an enigmatic, dreamlike whole – typical of Essig’s associative, multi-layered visual language.