Martin Bloch (1883 Neisse, Germany – 1954 London, England)
Svendborg Harbour, Denmark, 1934
Oil on canvas on board
69 x 79 cm
Ben Uri Collection
© The Estate of Martin Bloch
Immigrated to England (via Denmark) 1934
This claustrophobic depiction of boats in a crowded harbour is a classic symbol of exile, painted during the artist’s brief stay in Denmark after he fled Nazi Germany in 1934. Despite the traumatic experience of flight, it is full of energy and colour. Drawing on his German expressionist roots, Bloch pares down form into simple shapes and conveys emotion through the use of heightened purples, greens and mustard yellows. The compression of the perspective into a single, suffocating plane jams the boats against the harbour and creates a distinct uneasiness.
