BRENSKE GALLERY

Dr Stefan Brenske’s gallery specializes in icons, mainly from the 16th to 19th centuries in Russia and Greece. In addition, the gallery deals in works of classical modern art, preferably those that have been influenced by icons or that share related spiritual aspects with them.

1. Icon

The All-Seeing Eye of God – Russia, 19th century – 36 × 31 cm – BRENSKE GALLERY Munich

The cosmic order is shown in four concentric circles. At the centre appears Christ in a gesture of blessing. The next circle, seen from the inside out, breaks up the bright red face of the Almighty into segments: a pair of eyes at the top, two single eyes on the sides, and the nose and mouth at the bottom. In the following circle, the Mother of God appears at the top centre with her hands raised in prayer, together with one of three seraphim, each occupying a quarter of the circle.

The outermost heavenly circle is blue-green and interspersed with small parallel hatched rays of light. Four beams of light radiate from the centre, where Christ is, towards the corners of the image. Their tips point to four medallions showing the four Evangelists against a cloud-like red and white background.

Above the whole composition, in a separate heavenly circle, also blue-green, God the Father is enthroned, giving his blessing. All the circles are highlighted by text bands on a white ground with quotations from the Psalms and the Gospels, with God the Father being the only figure to appear twice.

2. Modern work

Paul Jenkins, United States (1923–2012):
Phenomena Adieu Mark de Minsk, 1973
Watercolour on Arches paper
Sheet size: 106 × 76 cm (122 × 92 cm framed)
Signed lower left, signed, dated and titled on the reverse
Museum-quality float frame (the entire sheet is visible, without mat) with shadow gap: museum glass, acid-free boards, dust cover.

This large-format watercolour by Paul Jenkins impresses with its abstract composition and subtle, translucent effects. The composition consists of two dominant streams of colour: an intense wine-red flow runs vertically through the image, while a weaker brown-grey flow descends from the upper right corner towards the lower edge. These flows meet in a triangle that forms a mixed aquamarine grey. A delicate, filigree orange line cuts through the soft transitions and gives the image a certain dynamism.

The background remains untouched, the white of the paper setting off the colours. Jenkins uses the watercolour technique masterfully to create a meditative tension between chaos and clarity. The visible edges and the artist’s signature further reinforce the strong presence of the work.