Born in 1945 in southern Germany during the final days of the Second World War, Anselm Kiefer was among the first generation of German post-war artists to directly confront the country's troubled past and national identity in the wake of the Third Reich, war and Holocaust.
Kiefer's unique work explores how history, literature and myth can be transformed, not only in relation to the rise of the National Socialist agenda, but also as a way to understand broader themes of civilisation, culture and spirituality.
Wege der Weltweisheit – die Hermannsschlacht (Ways of Worldly Wisdom – The Battle of Hermann)
1977, woodcuts on paper with acrylic & shellac mounted on synthetic fabric by Anselm Kiefer (b.1945). Hall Collection 
'Anselm Kiefer: Early Works' is the Ashmolean Museum's first major exhibition of 2025, focusing on paintings, drawings, photographs, woodcuts and artist books created by the acclaimed German artist between 1969 and 1982. It looks back to the beginnings of his practice and the development of themes, subjects, and motifs that have been returned to throughout his long and distinguished career. It also gives a more personal context for Kiefer's large-scale installations he is often associated with today.
Most of the works on display are in the UK for the first time, offering a rare opportunity to see them together in person. Additionally, there are three recent paintings from Kiefer's own collection that he has chosen specifically to accompany this exhibition. Here is a selection of artworks included from the Hall Collection.
Die Etsch (The Adige)
This painting is abstract, suggesting a picturesque landscape with a mountain valley and river. Thin letters in the composition reference the title of the piece: 'Die Etsch' – or the River Adige. The Adige is associated with beautiful scenery, but the name also connects to Germany's political history.
Die Etsch (The Adige)
mid-1970s, watercolour, gouache & ink on paper by Anselm Kiefer (b.1945). Hall Collection 
The river is referenced in the German national anthem sung between 1922 and 1945: 'From the Meuse river to the Nemen river, from the Adige to the Belt. Germany, Germany above all, above anything in the world'.
In this work, painted just 30 years after the end of the Second World War, the river appears to be spattered with blood – a representation of Germany's recent wounds and memories of war. It is typical of Kiefer's practice of subtly linking the beauty of nature with difficult cultural memories by giving his paintings a specific title or including text within the image.
Untitled
The painter's palette is a recurring symbol in Anselm Kiefer's work. In the 1970s and early '80s, he used it as a reference to both his own art-making in post-war Germany as well as general artistic practices.
Untitled
1974, mixed media on paper by Anselm Kiefer (b.1945). Hall Collection 
In Untitled, the palette is winged, flying through celestial skies. A symbol of artistic aspirations, it soars towards a source of light at the top of the painting, flying higher and higher. Like an alter ego of Kiefer, the palette is without restrictions, suggesting both freedom and risk: the higher you fly, the further you fall.
Innenraum (Interior)
Anselm Kiefer's paintings of deserted buildings from the early 1980s were based on photographs of projects by architects who worked for the Nazi regime. This painting is related to a much larger work of the same name and depicts an interior hall in Hitler's Reich Chancellery in Berlin.
This watercolour contrasts the silhouette of a small painter's palette at the centre, graceful and fragile, with the severity and order of the surrounding architecture.
Innenraum (Interior)
1982, watercolour & graphite on paper by Anselm Kiefer (b.1945). Hall Collection 
Here, the palette suggests the idea of the painter as martyr; artists who did not comply with Nazi directives were banned from exhibiting, teaching and working.
Kiefer's use of perishable materials and his processes, such as burning and slashing, give the canvas a distressed surface.
Von Oskar Wilde für Julia (From Oscar Wilde for Julia)
Anselm Kiefer painted Von Oskar Wilde für Julia as a gift for his wife Julia in 1974.
Von Oskar Wilde für Julia (From Oscar Wilde for Julia)
1973, watercolour & gouache on paper by Anselm Kiefer (b.1945. Hall Collection 
The title's reference to Oscar Wilde offers many possible interpretations and meanings. Towards the bottom of the rose, the strokes of darker paint suggest a skull-like grin, and in the centre, two eyes appear within the blend of reds and yellows. This human-like face is witty and sinister, perhaps conjuring up thoughts of the hidden face behind the portrait of Dorian Gray.
'Anselm Kiefer: Early Works' is open until 15th June 2025 at the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford. Tickets are available from the Ashmolean Museum website.
