Herbert Johannes Josef Siebner
(Canadian/German, 1925–2003)
You and I duel
1983
Acrylic on Masonite
Inscribed in German lower border: "NIE GAB ES GROSSERE GEGNER" ("There were never greater opponents")
Frame: 29.25 × 33.25 in. (74.3 × 84.5 cm)
Executed in 1983, You and I duel is a published masterwork from Herbert Siebner's mature period, encapsulating his lifelong inquiry into myth, human conflict, and primal energy. The painting depicts two fierce, totemic beast-like figures locked in symbolic battle beneath a burning orange sun and radiant blue sky. Rendered in dense, tactile impasto with bold black, crimson, and cobalt blue pigments, the composition is carved with text, including the expressive German inscription along the lower margin: "NIE GAB ES GROSSERE GEGNER" ("There were never greater opponents").
As a published work, this canvas holds elevated historical importance within Siebner's late 20th-century oeuvre. It directly reflects his post-war European Expressionist roots and his deep fascination with archetypal confrontation, power dynamics, and existential struggle. The integration of handwritten German text directly into the painted surface is a signature technique from his 1980s series, seamlessly blending painterly expressionism with graphic symbolism.
Arriving in Victoria in 1954 after studying under Max Pechstein at the Academy of Fine Arts in Berlin, Siebner is widely credited with helping introduce German Expressionism to Western Canada. In 1971, he co-founded the legendary Victoria Limners Society alongside Maxwell Bates, Myfanwy Pavelic, Karl Spreitz, and Elza Mayhew, creating a vital bohemian collective that transformed the regional art scene. Over his five-decade career, Siebner held more than 130 solo exhibitions across North America and Europe.
Major Accolades & Recognition:
Published work in modern art reference literature
Held over 130 solo exhibitions worldwide during his lifetime
Elected Member, Royal Canadian Academy of Arts (R.C.A., 1973)
Co-Founder and President, The Victoria Limners Society (1971)
Recipient, Canada Council Senior Arts Fellowship Grant (1962)
Canadian National Award in Graphic Arts (1956)
Canadian Centennial Medal Recipient (1967)
Retrospective & Solo Exhibitions, Art Gallery of Greater Victoria (1955, 1961, 1965, 1970, 1984, 2003)
Selected Permanent Collections:
National Gallery of Canada (Ottawa, ON)
Vancouver Art Gallery (Vancouver, BC)
Art Gallery of Greater Victoria (Victoria, BC)
Royal Ontario Museum (Toronto, ON)
Collection of Princess Fernanda von Thurn und Taxis
City of Berlin Collection (Berlin, Germany)
Confederation Centre Art Gallery (Charlottetown, PEI)
Seattle Art Museum (Seattle, WA)
University of Victoria Archives & Special Collections (Victoria, BC)
Feckless Collection (Vancouver, BC)
Herbert Johannes Josef Siebner
(Canadian/German, 1925–2003)
You and I duel
1983
Acrylic on Masonite
Inscribed in German lower border: "NIE GAB ES GROSSERE GEGNER" ("There were never greater opponents")
Frame: 29.25 × 33.25 in. (74.3 × 84.5 cm)
Executed in 1983, You and I duel is a published masterwork from Herbert Siebner's mature period, encapsulating his lifelong inquiry into myth, human conflict, and primal energy. The painting depicts two fierce, totemic beast-like figures locked in symbolic battle beneath a burning orange sun and radiant blue sky. Rendered in dense, tactile impasto with bold black, crimson, and cobalt blue pigments, the composition is carved with text, including the expressive German inscription along the lower margin: "NIE GAB ES GROSSERE GEGNER" ("There were never greater opponents").
As a published work, this canvas holds elevated historical importance within Siebner's late 20th-century oeuvre. It directly reflects his post-war European Expressionist roots and his deep fascination with archetypal confrontation, power dynamics, and existential struggle. The integration of handwritten German text directly into the painted surface is a signature technique from his 1980s series, seamlessly blending painterly expressionism with graphic symbolism.
Arriving in Victoria in 1954 after studying under Max Pechstein at the Academy of Fine Arts in Berlin, Siebner is widely credited with helping introduce German Expressionism to Western Canada. In 1971, he co-founded the legendary Victoria Limners Society alongside Maxwell Bates, Myfanwy Pavelic, Karl Spreitz, and Elza Mayhew, creating a vital bohemian collective that transformed the regional art scene. Over his five-decade career, Siebner held more than 130 solo exhibitions across North America and Europe.
Major Accolades & Recognition:
Published work in modern art reference literature
Held over 130 solo exhibitions worldwide during his lifetime
Elected Member, Royal Canadian Academy of Arts (R.C.A., 1973)
Co-Founder and President, The Victoria Limners Society (1971)
Recipient, Canada Council Senior Arts Fellowship Grant (1962)
Canadian National Award in Graphic Arts (1956)
Canadian Centennial Medal Recipient (1967)
Retrospective & Solo Exhibitions, Art Gallery of Greater Victoria (1955, 1961, 1965, 1970, 1984, 2003)
Selected Permanent Collections:
National Gallery of Canada (Ottawa, ON)
Vancouver Art Gallery (Vancouver, BC)
Art Gallery of Greater Victoria (Victoria, BC)
Royal Ontario Museum (Toronto, ON)
Collection of Princess Fernanda von Thurn und Taxis
City of Berlin Collection (Berlin, Germany)
Confederation Centre Art Gallery (Charlottetown, PEI)
Seattle Art Museum (Seattle, WA)
University of Victoria Archives & Special Collections (Victoria, BC)
Feckless Collection (Vancouver, BC)
