In a lavishly illustrated book, Tim Oehler has traced the life of the Hamburg painter Michael Mau (1937-2021). The overview of works is chronological and takes a look at each creative phase of the extremely productive artist. In the biographical part of the book, he approaches Mau as a person. 'A typical characteristic of a real perception is the feeling 'as if' I am seeing the world for the first time. One is concentrated, relaxed, one enjoys,' says Michael Mau. He always relied on his instinct and powers of observation, not on the trend. Always on the lookout for motifs. Every detail of a picture had the same importance. These optical phenomena drove him, coupled with a fascination for light. The admiration of nature in all its manifestations is the overall topic of his paintings. He is a realist. But this is the only label which applies to him. The subjects of his sensitive paintings are landscapes, the big city and everyday scenes, people and objects in their surroundings.
