ALEXANDER KOESTER (1864-1932), Ans Ufer (Enten)

Born in Neustadt, Germany in 1864, Alexander Koester (1864-1932) was a skilled and versatile artist famed for his paintings of ducks.  Koester initially earned a living painting commissioned portraits, however in 1890 his works became focused on the watery landscapes and ducks of Klausen, where he settled.  By the turn of the 20^th century his love for painting ducks had become his specialisation and established his reputation, earning him the moniker ‘Duck Koester’ or ‘Enten-Koester.’

Koester’s duck paintings are arguably his most sought-after subjects, winning him a gold medal at the 1904 St Louis World’s Fair as well as other accolades throughout Europe.

Works by the renowned German artist continue to daw attention from discerning collectors of European art worldwide, with Sotheby’s New York selling Enten in Teich (Wilde Jagd) (lot 101, 9 May 2014) for US$455,000 against a presale estimate of US$150,000-200,000.

Another work by Koester, Ans Ufer (Enten) (lot 230) will be offered for sale by Sotheby’s Australia at its Fine Asian, Australian & European Arts & Design sale in Melbourne on 29 July 2014. The fine oil painting features eight ducks and dates from the midpoint of Koester’s career in the years prior to World War I.  It combines the close observations of his early Naturalist works with the Impressionist brushwork techniques he developed over the course of his career.  Ans Ufer (Enten) is offered from a private collection in Queensland and has a pre-sale estimate of AUD$50,000-70,000.