During the first decades of the 20th century, the conservative art world in Rotterdam was unaccommodating towards modern art. Avant-garde artists were excluded from exhibitions. Herman Bieling (1887-1964), the subject of this post, was the driving force behind ‘De Branding’, a group of innovative artists who took matters into their own hands. De Branding, which existed from 1917 to 1926, strove for recognition of contemporary art, organised their own expositions, and invited progressive artists into their circles.

Herman Bieling, a painter, graphic artist, and sculptor of German origin, was a groundbreaking artist who had a fascination for dance, circus, cabaret, and theatre. Bieling, always a prime mover, mingled with trailblazing artists, musicians, and dancers. He, together with other members of De Branding, organized art manifestations, inviting visual and performing artists. One of these artists was the German expressionistic dancer Grit Hegesa. From 1917 to 1919, Hegesa gave a series of concerts in The Netherlands. She was a unique performer, dancing only to specially composed music by modern composers. Hegesa worked closely with the modern Dutch composer Jaap Kool (1890-1959) and posed for Bieling on various occasions.

This watercolour, one of Bieling’s earliest depictions of Hegesa, literally places the dancer in the limelight. The accented white decoration on her back and her extended white make-up instantly capture the viewer’s attention. Even though the background is brimming with a myriad of dissimilar geometrical shapes, the serene dancer remains positively distinctive. The colour scheme is limited. The background shapes, in varying hues of crimson, convey a slight sensation of depth. Hegesa, for the most part rendered in differing hues of green, is harmoniously outlined in crimson. Especially striking are the widely spread hands, highlighted with white accents. I need not explain that the dancer’s pose is delusory. However, as elegant Hegesa appears to be, no dancer could maintain such a crouched, stationary pose for any length of time. And, under no circumstances, while balancing on a pointe shoe.

In November 1919, the peerless art magazine, De Wendigen, issued a special edition celebrating dance. Three photographs of Bieling’s statuette illustrate a detailed appreciation of Grit Hegesa by the composer, Jaap Kool. Bieling’s statuette captured Hegesa in a grotesque, contorted pose. She stands on one pointe, raising her free leg actively to waist level. Her lean torso develops into a prolonged, curved neck burdened with a featureless head. And once again, her hideous hands immediately demand our attention. The static limbs and solid shapes add to the eccentricity of the pose. Curiously, the peculiar shapes resemble the watercolour discussed above. The placement of the hands, head, and legs, though completely different in sensibility, are structurally similar. In fact, the etching shown above presents a third interpretation. The quirky figure, dancing on pointe, is now performing on stage. Around her legs are six tiny human figures. Each miniature image describes a characteristic moment from her choreography, Groteske.

Bieling encountered cubism early in his career. The following painting, The Berlin Dancer Grit Hegesa, is composed of geometric planes; the majority are triangular or quadrilateral, with the occasional hexagon and curvilinear shape. Even Hegesa’s flamboyant costume, adorned with a diagrammatic pattern, is an assortment of linear shapes. The white circles, curves, and angular shapes decorating the skirt contrast vividly against the darker background. Without question, Bieling’s palette, an audacious amalgamation of blue, orange, green, brown, and mauve, is stunning.

Composition-wise, the painting is divided into two sections. The left section, which occupies approximately one-third of the canvas, displays three small background figures, waiting patiently in the wings. Two of the performers face the open curtain; another has turned to the front. The larger right segment is dominated by a full-length, fanciful portrait of the dancer. Her long, slender figure, encircled by a colossal skirt, overshadows her surroundings. Just as pronounced are her incredibly long, skinny arms, wasp waist, and boobs highlighted by black roundels. And what to think about her hairstyle? If it were not for the strange pointe shoes, she could easily pass for a bizarre Baroque dancer. Incidentally, those ballet shoes raise a few issues. To start with, Bieling has painted Hegesa dancing in unusually elongated pointe shoes. It would be improbable, if not impossible, to physically achieve the pose shown in the painting. Hegesa, moreover, was a modern expressive dancer, which implies that dancing on pointe is highly unorthodox. Pointe work is not inherent to modern dance technique. But Hegesa was the exception. She took ballet classes. There are a few publicity photographs showing her actually dancing on pointe. Feasibly, this distinctive feature intrigued Bieling.

Two other works from the same period feature, respectively, a nude ballet dancer and three revue dancers. In each case, the stylised, though recognisable dancers are juxtaposed against a non-representational background. The abstract background is jam-packed with geometric shapes criss-crossing each other haphazardly. These geometric shapes are further imbedded in a black foundation, essentially suggesting a further dimension. Bieling, although a modern painter, did not turn to abstraction. His dancers were not necessarily naturalistic but always realistic figures.

It is evident that the full-length, unclothed figure is a dancer. Her nude, ivory-tanned physique, dramatically contrasted against the dark background, immediately attracts attention. She strikes a typical ballet pose known as retiré. Amazing as it seems, she poses on the tips of her toes. Without the support of a ballet shoe, this, I can assure you, is not a trivial task. But apart from the technical impossibilities, there is a compelling repetition of shapes that unifies the dancer with the background. A close look at the dancer’s arms reveals that the outer arm is represented by arcs, while the inner arms are straight lines. Similar patterns are repeated in the dancing figure as a whole and reoccur in a different palette throughout the background. Notably, the dancer’s head and hair are depicted in circular shapes, contrasting the linear lines of her facial features. Though slightly shadowed, her face remains distinguishable. Perhaps, like me, you are reminded of Portrait of Madame Matisse painted by Henri Matisse in 1913.

Left: A Dancing Nude – oil on canvas – 62 cm x 44.5 cm – 1917 – Invaluable and Christie’s / Private Collection Right: Paris Revue – oil on canvas 50 cm x 80.5 cm – 1918 – Artnet

Where A Dancing Nude has a placid quality, Paris Revue conveys a lively, cheerful impression. All three dancers stand in the spotlight. They are illuminated from top to toe. The revue girls clad in stiff, clunky costumes, which somehow remind me of slices of watermelon, flaunt their exposed breasts. The Harlequin figure, just like the two show-girls, dances in pointe in a pose remarkably similar to the figure in A Dancing Nude; only now the arms are inverted, and the dancer is facing a different direction. Perhaps I am reading too much into the painting, but the composition feels contradictory. Neither of the usually so flashy revue girls seems happy. The girl on the left is especially despondent. And the colourful background triangles, circles, and other shapes that rhythmically echo the dancing figures are razor-sharp, randomly scattered, and transparent. Are these panes of shattered glass? Paris, in 1918, was a city in turmoil.

Bieling was inspired by various forms of theatrical and folk dance. I have written about his serene portrait of Anna Pavlova and his spectacular rendition of the revue dancer Emmy Emerants in earlier posts. To these exciting works, I would like to add two paintings of Flamenco dancers. I have been unable to ascertain when or where they were created. Bieling loved travelling. On his visit to Madrid, he no doubt enjoyed Flamenco performances.

Left: Spanish dancer – oil on canvas – 48 cm x 38 cm – date unknown – Sotheby’s/ Van Spengen (Hilversum) Right: Flamenco dancers – mixed media on paper – 37.7 cm x 51. cm – date unknown – Invaluable

Bieling was a versatile artist. Four of his sculptures, a series of masks, embellish bridges in Rotterdam. Besides painting dance images, theatrical movement inspired his sculptures, woodcuts, etchings, and linoleum cuts. He also created a second sculpture of Grit Hegesa. This closed work presents an earthbound dancer. The dancer succumbs to the force of gravity. Bieling captures her poignant bearing, accenting her burdensome arms, lowered head, and deep squatting position. His hard, rugged, geometric shapes reinforce the solemnity of the figure, exposing the expressive qualities of Grit Hegesa. His etching of Hegesa illustrates his specific application of cubism. The portrait focusses on the dancer’s face. Apart from the contour of her head, the portrait is practically formed by straight lines. Likewise, the garland encircling her face consists of linear patterns assembled in opposing directions. I find the miniature drawing, practically identical to the large etching of Groteske, a playful detail.

Left: The Dancer Grit Hegesa – lead – 26.3 cm – Artnet & Right: Portrait of Grit Hegesa – Etching – 12.5 x 18 cm – 1919 – Grafiek collectie, The Netherlands

The green-faced girl peering around the curtain is, according to the subtitle, a revue girl. She is most-likely a dancer. She may be expecting a special friend, or perhaps she is curious to follow the audience upon entering the auditorium. Whatever her reason is for gazing through the wings, her presence is absolutely dazzling. The fact that Bieling was interested in African art is apparent. The shape of her face, her features, and the vivid expressionistic colours reveal his attraction. Equally notable is that various planes, forms, and textures overlap in such a way that, at first glance, the viewer could mistake this oil painting for a collage. That leaves us with the ambiguous title Extase (translated as Ecstasy). Who is enraptured? Who has an overwhelming feeling of great joy? Possibly the inquisitive, though friendly, expression of the revue dancer sheds some light on the title.

The influence of cubism and expression is characteristic of Bieling’s early work, with the understanding that the (human) figures retained an inkling of realism. In 1930, a devastating fire destroyed his workshop. Many of his earlier works are lost. As time passed, Bieling turned to realism, painting theatrical subjects, still lives, seascapes, landscapes, and portraits. Bieling remained the most fervent propagandist for Modern Art.