This evocative cityscape by Alfred Auerbach (1912–1980) is titled Studie zu Westhafen and dates from 1959–1960, a period in which the artist was actively capturing the post-war transformation of Berlin. Executed in mixed media. the composition presents a striking industrial scene likely depicting Berlin’s Westhafen (West Port), a major logistics hub in the capital. The strong linear perspective of the railway tracks leads the viewer deep into the picture plane, framed by dark architectural structures. In the background, stylized smokestacks and industrial buildings loom in soft violet, ochre, and grey tones, creating a mood both contemplative and structured. Alfred Auerbach was a German painter and art historian, born in 1912 in Rostock and later based in West Berlin. He lived and worked in the intellectual milieu of post-war Berlin, sharing a residence with notable figures such as the exiled Expressionist Fritz Ascher. Though lesser known than some of his contemporaries, Auerbach’s works are historically insightful, blending documentary realism with expressionist sensitivity. His aesthetic sits in dialogue with artists like Max Beckmann, Ludwig Meidner, Karl Hofer, Werner Heldt, Hans Tombrock, and George Grosz, and shows affinities with movements such as Neue Sachlichkeit and post-war industrial realism. The tonal control and atmospheric focus in this piece evoke parallels with contemporaries including Bernhard Heisig, Hans Grundig, Curt Querner, Wilhelm Lachnit, and Rudolf Schlichter. Auerbach’s analytical eye, shaped by his background as an art historian, aligns his approach with more meditative urban observers such as Otto Dix, Jeanne Mammen, Walter Gramatté, and Conrad Felixmüller. This work also shares a reflective sensibility with artists like Paul Citroen, Christian Schad, Josef Scharl, Heinrich Ehmsen, Peter Zadek, and Helmut Kolle. Auerbach’s subdued yet expressive palette may remind viewers of the quiet psychological depth found in the works of Eduard Bargheer, Ernst Fritsch, and Ewald Mataré. While he was not part of a formal group, his practice resonates with broader post-war German painting circles and urban documentarians of the time. Condition: Good overall. signs of age and handling. edge wear consistent with age. Pinholes visible in corners, likely from display. Colours remain vivid and structurally intact. Trace marks from former framing. Despite age, the pigments are intense and well-preserved.