I was born in 1900 in Cologne, Germany. Of these six decades, nearly forty years have been devoted to painting, the most important part of my existence.
From life along the river Rhine came my earliest and deepest impressions —ships in the port, smells of stagnant water, of tar and hemp; and in springtime when the river ran strong, of sweet flag, driven on and held by willow trees which border the banks; the open meadows, with herds of sheep; on the right banks fairs and processions, and all these seen in the diffused light of the river Rhine.
The world of my young days is still very much alive in me; grown up, I rediscovered the magic harmony of the near lower Rhine — the light, the most subtly differentiated qualities of green and the richer tones of earth.
My first active contact with painting was made in the early twenties. At this time I was living in Essen. Pictures in dark, earthen colours characterize this first period; these were dreaming figures, ships and scenery of rivers, and pictures in the melancholic mood of suburbs bordering the big industrial centre. This first phase of dark though picturesque manner finished with the end of the twenties. A period of almost exclusive work in the medium of sculpturing in wood followed. (Most of my works of this period were destroyed by World War II.)
About 1931-32 I returned to painting with a completely new approach. My palette lightened after the first meeting with the Tessin and new ways opened. Colour was “discovered“ and forms of pure colour, fiat and often mural-like in character, resulted. This period lasted until the beginning of the war.
In 1945, after returning from the war, I resumed efforts in painting which resulted in periodic cycles. In 1947, these were my first non-objective pictures and, after that, various experimental approaches leading to my most recent work.
After this record of influences and phases of development, the painter might be expected (considering his long experiences in the field) to make a statement about work in art, about meanings and general goals. The only point, however, about which I can speak is to describe the process of working, technique; about the participation of the intellect; on the whole a report of the “workshop.“ The artist is not able to speak in words about meaning and essence of art generally since his language is to speak in terms of his metier.
Hugo von Hoffmannsthal once said about poetry: “The meaning does not decide the value of poetry (otherwise it would be perhaps wisdom or erudition), but something deeply existing in measure and sound that makes all the difference between masters and successors of second quality in all ages. Composition, proportion between the single parts, the necessary sequence from one part to the other signifies true poetry.“
This could be said just as we regarding music or painting. Technical ability combined with talent and intelligence are not satisfying. In addition to a human and artistic expression the artist‘s unique personal character makes it valuable as art. In all changes of ways his own character stays with the painter, sometimes to his own surprise.
Matisse in his older days, seeing one of his earlier works which he had not seen for a long time, asked with humility: “Who was leading my hand?“
New years bring up new ways, with no repeating. Only by an always new approach in experimenting with variations is it possible to come closest to the image of the final picture. Due to these variations, different possibilities and intentions, the entire world is the field of the artist, invading him through his eyes. The sensual joy in seeing awakes his joyfulness in painting — using colours and treating the surfaces in most refined ways.
For this painter, to keep fresh and to preserve the idea that as “you are older, you are newer“ is the tremendous obligation of a long life. The way continues and the severe judge, Time, will decide what will last and endure as art.
— HANS VINCENZ
(Written by the artist in Essen-Werden, translated by Isa Partsch Bergshon.)