Claus Bertermann (1965) - Pit Stop

Artist: Claus Bertermann

OFFICIAL WEBSITE: www.bertermann.art

The story behind "Pit Stop"

Time is running. A mechanic in blue overalls leans over the racing car to find a fault, one hand braced on the wing, the other holding his head. Every second in the pits costs places on the track. He has to act quickly, and he has to get it right the first time. All his energy goes into a single thought.

And here is the twist: Bertermann has given him the most famous thinking pose in art, the pose of Rodin's "The Thinker". Only this thinker has no time to sit on a rock. He thinks standing up, leaning on a fender, with the clock running. In a sport where everyone races, the hero of this picture is the one who stops for a moment to think, because the right idea is the fastest tool in the pit lane.

About the artist

Claus Bertermann holds a Master's degree in Architecture (TU Munich) and is an internationally collected contemporary artist, with more than 1,000 large-format works in private and institutional collections, including a monumental triptych at the Technical University of Munich. His abstract paintings have reached top auction results such as €18,900 at C. h. r. i. s. t. i. e´s Paris and €15,240 at S. o. t. h. e. b. y´s Cologne, with further sales at V. a. n. H. a. m, A. r. t. c. u. r. i. a. l and D. o. r. o. t. h. e. u. m.

In 2026 he started a radically new figurative series: people and scenes in bold, emotional colour, inspired by German Expressionism. First he paints the background with loose, broad brushstrokes. Then he draws the figures on top with oil stick, in clear and confident lines.

Visual description

The mechanic fills the centre and right of the canvas, bent forward in deep blue overalls with an orange shirt, his face in turquoise and green, one hand at his temple, the other resting on the car. In the foreground, a blue and turquoise sports-racing car with a large orange-red wheel and a bright green hub; behind, a second car in orange-red and a light, sunny sky. His feet in yellow shoes stand on a dark green ground. Signed in white oil stick at the lower right.

One detail for those who look twice: the large wheel in the foreground is painted in spinning circles, as if it were already turning. The car is ready to go. It is only waiting for his idea.

Why it is worth the price

A large, museum-scale painting from the first year of a radically new series, and part of the motor-racing cycle of 2026 ("No Halo", "Eau Rouge", "Parc Fermé", "Pit Stop" and "Stranded on Track"). It is the only picture in the cycle that celebrates the person behind the driver: the mechanic, whose skill decides races out of sight of the grandstand. A rare crossover piece for collectors of contemporary figurative painting and of motorsport history alike, full of energy and concentration.

Key details for collectors

– Title: Pit Stop
– Year: 2026
– Dimensions (H x W): 150 x 200 cm (59 × 79 inches)
– Medium: Acrylic and oil stick on canvas
– Original, one-of-a-kind artwork
– Signed by the artist on the front and back side; title, year and the artist's full name inscribed on the back
– Certificate of authenticity included
– Condition: excellent; all surface irregularities are intentional and part of the artist's process
– Sold unframed and without stretcher bars; shipped rolled for safe international transport
– Additional white border of approx. 10 cm (approx. 4 inches) on all sides, allowing professional restretching on museum-quality stretcher bars up to 6 cm (approx. 2.4 inches) deep for a clean, frameless, gallery-style presentation
– Professional stretching is the responsibility of the buyer
– Professional packaging and worldwide shipping with premium carriers such as UPS

Please note regarding the room views:

Some of the photographs show the painting digitally placed in an interior. These room views are AI-visualisations, created to give an impression of scale and presence only — they are not photographs of the actual work hanging in a room. Both the size proportions and the colours shown in them may differ from the original. The binding references are the dimensions stated above (H x W) and the studio photograph of the painting itself. Please also note that colours may appear differently depending on screen calibration.