  |
|
|
Gabriele Münter
Berlin, 1877 - Murnau, 1962
Notwithstanding the difficulties that women artists could encounter in receiving an adequate training, Gabriele Münter studied art both in Düsseldorf (1897) and Munich (1901). Between 1898 and 1901 Münter travelled to America where she visited St. Louis and New York. On her return, unhappy with her apprenticeship, she took a major leap by attending the evening classes taught by the Russian painter Wassily Kandinsky at the Phalanxschule where she also approached the Jugendstil. From 1902 until 1914 her research became intimately intertwined with Kandinsky's. Their mutual collaboration was also reinforced by a personal relationship which lasted until 1914 when Kandinsky moved back to Russia. The couple often travelled abroad. In Paris Münter deeply admired the Impressionist masters, integrating their teachings into her contemporary production of large scale landscapes, including In Kallmünz (1903, Private Collection) and Straße in Sèvres (1906-1907, Munich, Städtische Galerie im Lenbachhaus). By the end of the decade the artist also began to express herself through other art mediums such as woodcut, linocut and drawings. In 1907 she exhibited at the Parisian Salon d'Automne a series of coloured linocuts portraits that included a portrait of Kandinsky. By 1911 the artist adopted a more intensive palette mostly consisting of primary colours and together with Kandinsky, Jawlensky and Franz Marc participated in the genesis of Der Blaue Reiter which became a fundamental organisation for the development of German Expressionism. During the war she and Kandinsky moved temporarily to Switzerland and after he had left for Russia, Münter remained inactive for a period. The artist later returned to Germany and although seriously affected by Nazi censorship she continued working. Gabriele Münter died in her house in Murnau, Bavaria on 19 May 1962.
Dominique Lora
Artist
works>>
Printer friendly format >>
<<
back
|
Pages related to MUENTER, Gabriele >>
|
|
|
|
|
