Catalogue raisonné: Heiderich 767

Provenance: Galerie Nierendorf, Berlin

The drawing is a preliminary study for the painting “Zirkusszene” (Circus), 1913, (Heiderich 489), which is now in the possession of the Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza, Madrid.

August Macke – Gestürzt (1911)

Before the First World War, the world of the theatre, circus and variété ranked among the most popular subjects of the European avant-garde. August Macke, a central figure of German Expressionism, devoted several important works to the circus theme. Among them is the celebrated painting Zirkusszene (1913), now in the collection of the Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza, Madrid.

The charcoal drawing Gestürzt (1911) is a direct preparatory study for this painting, offering valuable insight into the genesis of one of Macke’s most significant circus compositions.

Composition and Iconography

The drawing depicts a scene in the circus ring immediately after a riding accident. Two — in the later painting three — acrobats attend to a fallen equestrienne, who is being carried from the arena. The horse responsible for the accident is simultaneously led away.

The posture of the central figure and the supporting attendants recalls a classical Pietà composition, lending the scene an unexpected solemnity. In the foreground, a bent figure in shadow turns away from the event. Functioning as a repoussoir, this figure directs the viewer’s gaze towards the dramatic centre of the composition.

Preparatory Study and Artistic Development

The essential figures and structural elements of the composition are already established in this drawing. Two years later, they were developed into the complex and colour-rich painting of 1913. In 1911, Macke also produced an intermediate watercolour version of the subject, simplifying certain details while refining the overall arrangement.

As a preparatory study, Gestürzt focuses on clarifying movement, gesture and spatial organisation. With economical means, Macke captures the contours and dynamism of the figures, intensifying the scene through carefully balanced light–dark contrasts.

Autonomous Artistic Quality

Although conceived as a study, the charcoal drawing possesses a strong independent presence. The reduction of means, the precision of line and the concentration on a decisive moment give the work the character of a self-contained composition.

Gestürzt not only illuminates the development of Macke’s later Zirkusszene, but also exemplifies his engagement with the modern circus motif within the context of early 20th-century German Expressionism.