Elmar Kits
1913–1972
Boat Harbor. 1964
Oil, canvas. 87.5 x 137 cm (framed)
price 62 000
Bottom right: ElmarKits. 64.
Elmar Kits lived and worked in Tartu, but we often see harbor motifs in his work. At that time there was active traffic on Emajõgi, and Kits took part in it. More than that: he built boats himself. For example, in April 1955, he writes in his diary: "The boat is unfinished and it is clear that when it is finished, I would like to paint on the river. But I still can't go on with her. It would really be a couple of weeks work. In the meantime, I'll go to the river. Beautiful evenings, days and mornings. I really like the area around the bridge near the marina.” It is not known exactly which boat harbor Kits has depicted in this painting, but it seems that he completed his boat and sketched the work while sitting on the boat. It is possible that this is the same boat harbor in South Estonia, probably near Valgemetsa, which he also praises in his diary a decade earlier. As is characteristic of Kits, the work is thoroughly worked out, every square centimeter is painted, the brushwork is dense, the colors adhere to the general tonality, but find numerous shades and nuances.