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Anselm Kiefer — Die Ordnung der Engel
Anselm Kiefer

Die Ordnung der Engel

A monumental canvas of smoldering lead, ash, and oil paint evokes the celestial hierarchy of angels described in early Christian mysticism, transforming sacred theology into a landscape of ruin and reverence. Kiefer layers the surface with the weight of molten metal and scorched earth, suggesting both the grandeur and the collapse of divine order. The work reflects his lifelong obsession with spiritual frameworks that science cannot reach, treating religious cosmology not as doctrine but as a raw, physical confrontation with the unknowable.

Medium
“I think a great deal about religion because science provides no answers.” Anselm Kiefer, 1987

🔨 Auction Lot

20th Century & Contemporary Art Evening Sale

November 8, 2015

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About this work

Anselm Kiefer, Die Ordnung der Engel

A monumental canvas of smoldering lead, ash, and oil paint evokes the celestial hierarchy of angels described in early Christian mysticism, transforming sacred theology into a landscape of ruin and reverence. Kiefer layers the surface with the weight of molten metal and scorched earth, suggesting both the grandeur and the collapse of divine order. The work reflects his lifelong obsession with spiritual frameworks that science cannot reach, treating religious cosmology not as doctrine but as a raw, physical confrontation with the unknowable.

Medium
“I think a great deal about religion because science provides no answers.” Anselm Kiefer, 1987
Seen at
Phillips, New York, London, Hong Kong

Related themes

German Artist, Dark And Brooding, Large Scale Format, Dark Palette, Male Artist, Monumental Scale, Apocalyptic Mood, Mixed Media, Mythology And Mysticism, Angels And Spirituality, Angelic Imagery, Post-War German Art, Religious Symbolism, Contemporary Art, Established Artist, Spiritual Themes, Neo-Expressionism

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