Die Phantasie in der Malerei

In this compact, first‑hand study a veteran painter explores how imagination and observation intertwine on the canvas. Drawing on nearly fifty years of practice, the author argues that truly effective art must remain rooted in the natural world, even when it appears fantastical, and that the vigor of a work hinges on the artist’s “gestaltende Phantasie” – the active, perceptual imagination that translates lived experience into visual form. He distinguishes this productive imagination from the more abstract, “schöpferische” kind, insisting that the former can be examined through psychological and technical analysis while the latter remains a matter of inspiration.

The essay also challenges the early‑20th‑century notion that naturalism has died, insisting that every lasting artwork is, at its core, a study of nature as filtered through the artist’s senses. By weaving personal anecdotes, references to Goethe and Delacroix, and thoughtful reflections on the role of technique, the text offers a clear, grounded perspective for anyone interested in why the most realistic paintings often feel the most imaginative.