Acrylic paint, oil paint, shellac, earth, sand, wood, paper and glass on 2 canvases, lead, iron, books and other materials
Environment
Tate Collection
Works with images
General Collection
ARTIST ROOMS
National Heritage Memorial Fund
Art Fund
Collection
<a href="https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/anselm-kiefer-1406" aria-label="More by Anselm Kiefer" data-gtm-name="header_link_artist" data-gtm-destination="page--artist">Anselm Kiefer</a>
Cette obscure clarté qui tombe des étoiles
ARTIST ROOMS
Acquired jointly with the National Galleries of Scotland through The d'Offay Donation with assistance from the National Heritage Memorial Fund and the Art Fund 2008
installation acrylic paint oil shellac earth sand wood paper glass 2 canvases lead iron books other materials
Cette obscure clarté qui tombe des étoiles
support: 4700 × 4000 mm
object: 3400 × 1650 × 1100 mm
<a href="/search?gid=999999788" data-gtm-name="tombstone_link_bequest" data-gtm-destination="list-page--search-results">ARTIST ROOMS</a>
Acquired jointly with the National Galleries of Scotland through The d'Offay Donation with assistance from the <a href="/search?gid=999999967" data-gtm-name="tombstone_link_bequest" data-gtm-destination="list-page--search-results">National Heritage Memorial Fund</a> and the <a href="/search?gid=999999968" data-gtm-name="tombstone_link_bequest" data-gtm-destination="list-page--search-results">Art Fund</a> 2008
<p>This installation comprises a painting and sculpture displayed together with fragments of lead and glass. The painting's surface is cracked and broken, created using a combination of wood, straw and paint, mixed with clay and shellac. Kiefer’s bookcase is equally damaged. Completely unreadable, the decaying manuscripts perhaps symbolize the destruction of German-Jewish literature during the Nazi books burnings in 1933. The French title, meaning "The dark light that falls from the stars", is taken from 'Le Cid' by Corneille and refers to Kiefer’s relationship to France, which offered freedom from the weight of Germany’s troubled past.</p>

Online caption
2009-04-16T00:00:00
online-caption
ONLINE_CAPTION