Anglers on the Rhine

August Macke completed this scene of anglers by the Rhine River in 1907, an early work created before he became a leading figure of German Expressionism. The painting shows figures fishing along the riverbank in a composition that already hints at his interest in color and light.

Macke would become a key member of Der Blaue Reiter (The Blue Rider) group alongside Kandinsky and Franz Marc. Unlike Kandinsky's move toward abstraction, Macke stayed grounded in recognizable subjects bathed in vibrant color. He was particularly drawn to scenes of modern leisure.

The canvas measures 40.3 by 44.5 centimeters and hangs at the Lenbachhaus in Munich, which holds a major collection of Blue Rider works. Macke died in World War I at age 27, cutting short one of the most promising careers in modern German art.