Elmar Kits
(1913–1972)
In the Greenhouse. 1965
Oil, canvas. 71 x 59 cm (framed)
price 10 000
Elmar Kits returned to the theme of the gardener and the garden several times in his work. In its turbulent state, and shaken by the winds of time, the garden seemed to offer him peace of mind and harmony. Here we see how human and nature merge completely. The gardener’s face is turned towards the plants, her psychology is in no way emphasised, she is a servant of the plants. At the same time, Kits is not interested in nature in isolation, but in the organising and systematising element of the human being. The gardener’s hands are outstretched towards the plants, she sets and works, and the lush vegetation leaves no doubt that she is good at his job. Separately, it is interesting to wonder why Kits has chosen an older woman as the green fingers gardening specialist. Considering that around the same time Kits started experimenting with improvisational semi-abstract works, the painting depicting the harmony of the elderly and nature seems to express a completely different attitude: an emphasis on tradition, repetition, and order.