Description
BEAUTY & THE BEAST II by Reinhard Stammer – The Untamed Within
“BEAUTY & THE BEAST II” (2013) by Reinhard Stammer is not a fairy tale — it is an excavation. Painted in mixed media on wood, the work confronts the animal core of the human psyche: instinct, fear, and vulnerability intertwined in one fragile body. Stammer’s scratching, carving technique makes the creature’s form appear as if it has been unearthed from beneath the surface — part fossil, part vision, entirely alive.
The Beast and the Mirror
The composition centers on a single hybrid figure — neither fully animal nor human. The thickly textured grey field becomes both skin and atmosphere. The lines, etched into the surface rather than painted, recall ancient cave markings — primal communications from before language. Here, the “Beast” is not a monster to be feared but an honest reflection of the self. Stammer transforms brutality into tenderness; the grotesque becomes almost sacred.
Material Force and Emotional Archetype
The painting’s energy lies in its simplicity. With almost no color, Stammer creates depth through material and gesture: a muted monochrome world that vibrates with tension. The scratched white lines pierce through layers of darkness, suggesting both revelation and wound. This approach aligns with his Art Brut roots — authenticity over aesthetics, essence over decoration.
Between Myth and Psychology
“Beauty & the Beast II” is part of Stammer’s exploration of duality — human and animal, male and female, reason and instinct. It echoes the Jungian archetype of the shadow self: the suppressed part of consciousness that, when confronted, becomes the source of truth. This raw dialogue between inner and outer being makes the work as emotionally relevant as it is visually striking.
The Artist – Reinhard Stammer (*1952, Glückstadt, Germany)
Reinhard Stammer’s work stands at the intersection of Art Brut and Neo-Expressionism. Born in 1952 in Glückstadt, he emerged outside academic systems, crafting a visual language rooted in direct emotional honesty. His works have been shown and collected across Europe, particularly in the context of German postwar expressionism and contemporary outsider art. Each piece is an act of self-excavation — a testament to survival, humanity, and transformation.
Authenticity and Presentation
- Original mixed media on wood, signed (front, lower right)
- Dimensions: 40 × 32 cm
- Year: 2013
- Framed in minimalist black wooden frame
- Certificate of Authenticity and provenance documentation included
“BEAUTY & THE BEAST II” is a haunting and symbolic work — a visual poem about what remains when we strip away civilization’s surface. A collector’s piece that embodies the raw, mythic energy of Stammer’s art.
