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| You are in: Museum of Art >> Hall of Art Movements >> German Expressionism | |
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By Neal McLaughlin
German Expressionism is perhaps the most complex, diverse and
saddest movement ever to be included in the history of Modern Art. This movement
was not limited strictly to the field of painting: the philosophies and goals
touched the lives of every artist whether they were involved in the fields of
literature, drama, stage design, dance or film.
Initially, German artists used the idiom "Expressionism" as a means to convey
their artistic philosophy and practice. However, the phrase would eventually be
applied to represent any approach to art that would demonstrate a distorted
reality as well as a depiction of the artist's mental state of being.
By the end of the Second World War German Expressionism would consist of three
distinctive and different camps: each with their own philosophies and goals.
The first and perhaps the most influential of these three camps was the "Die
Brücke," or The Bridge, as these artists, influenced by Freudian theories,
believed that their movement was a bridge towards a better future.
Living and working as a group in the German cities of Dresden and Berlin,
The artisans of The Bridge, initially founded by four students of architecture,
concentrated on imitating the styles originally practiced by the art communities
of the Middle Ages.
Fritz Bleyl (1880-1966), Ernst Kirchner (1880-1938), Erich Heckel (1883-1970)
and Karl Schmidt-Rotluff (1884-1976) the founding fathers of The Bridge
dominated the art scene through paintings that depicted the social classes,
wealth, German nightlife and the chaos that reigned in their cities.
When it came to philosophies and ideology these expressionists shared identical
views. As the term "Expressionists" suggest, the works created by theses artists
were renderings of their individual and personal perceptions of their subject.
Usually these paintings were done as they had actually been interpreted in the
field. The use of unaltered nudes, as well as a variety of other people
portrayed in natural surroundings now yet tainted by the industrialization of
Germany.
The "Die Brücke", while expressionists in theory, actually had foregone the use
of broad lines and multiple layers of strong colors and instead applied their
many layers of personally mixed colors. Often times these hues were thinned by
petroleum in order to achieve a smoother application and to allow more freedom
in their techniques.
These artists were less concerned with the speed and spontaneity associated with
expressionism than they were of creating works of art that would challenge and
undermine the accepted taste.
When Germany entered World War I many of the expressionists had voluntarily
enlisted into the armed forces anxious to experience the affects of war first
hand believing that it would greatly influence their artistic ambitions.
Many of them believed that the Great War would actually be the starting point
from which many changes to their country's social status would occur, which at
that time was in desperate need of a total overhaul.
The Individual artisans affiliated with the school of the Northern
Expressionists, although never formally introduced to one another, shared
philosophies and ambitions that were actually one and the same
Emil Nolde (1867-1956), Paula Modersohn-Becker (1867-1907) and Christian Rohlfs
(1849-1938) subscribed to the theory that their art should be as simplistic and
down-to-earth as possible, hence forth, they consciously omitted any
demonstrations of personal emotions.
Even as the German Expressionists began to call upon their personal experiences
to illustrate the negative aspects of German life in a more symbolic and
representational style, artists Nolde and Rohlfs refused to alter their ways.
But continued to paint scenes that incorporated many of the German mythological
subjects such as gnomes, goblins and other German legendary beasts.
While the Northern Expressionists more or less kept to themselves and maintained
their own individuality there is little or no evidence that they had any
feelings, good or bad towards the theory and practice of the Die Brüke.
However, the Munich based "Blaue Reiter" unwaveringly and openly cited
their disdain and opposition to every principle and ambition of the Die Brüke.
Started by exiled Russian artist Wassilly Kandinsky (1886-1944), and include
amongst the ranks: Alexi Jawlensky (1864-1941), Marianne von Werefkin
(1860-1938) and Vladimir von Berekhteyev, the Blaue Reiter had desired to work
hand-in-hand with all of the individual art movements. However, they believed
and were insistent that all works of art portray the world as it truly existed.
They did, however, permit the artists some leeway in regards to their personal
perspectives.
The most perplexing and controversial group of German Expressionists were those
of the group formed by August Macke (1887-1914). The Rhenish Expressionists
maintained that their thought and ideas were best portrayed through the use of
form only.
The only actual link between the individuals of the Rhenish camp were their
choices of subject matter and their philosophy. Following The Great War, they
truly believed that all people had become merely a collective group of
individuals who fell to the mercy of their society and its politics.
At the close of World War I those artists who had enlisted for the sake of the
experience had returned; disillusioned, depressed and many were found to be
suffering from war-induced depression as well as battle related injuries.
These men, who at one time were of high hopes, had returned to a Germany that
was enduring a terrible economic, social and political collapse. Bitter and
charged with an abundance of anger the extremist from both wings had unwittingly
found themselves united under one crusade: to overthrow the current government.
Their collective anger would soon ignite into a raging inferno when Germany
agreed to sign the Versailles Treaty in 1919. This declaration was responsible
for pouring salt into unhealed wounds.
Germany was forced not only to endure the humiliation of losing a long and hard
fought war; they were now required to relinquish a vast amount of German real
estate for the growth of Poland and Czechoslovakia. It was also demanded that
Germany is held responsible for enormous amounts of money in post-war
compensation and this had undoubtedly crushed the already wavering German
economy.
A sense of betrayal permeated all levels of the German society. In response, or
retaliation, depending on the point of view, the German people tossed aside all
of their traditional values and ideas as the expressionists began a campaign to
denounce the corrupt upper-class as well as to depict the despair and struggle
of the common man.
Paintings took on a gloomy political theme, showing the dearth that had become a
large part of the German's people lives. The once celebrated Expressionists
movement had now become a confrontational rebellion, successful in its efforts
to stray from what was acceptable and showing urban life as sinister and morbid.
This is not to suggest that that their new philosophy and outlook on life was
accepted with open arms. It did in fact meet with strong resistance and outrage.
The new subject matters, some bearing resemblance to caricatures and paintings
of graceless nudes and figures that depicted the demented, insane and the
sinister lead to sort of an anti-rebellion.
Adolph Hitler, outraged by such anti-German publicity embarked upon his own
crusade to rid Germany of all the "degenerate" art within his Reich. This
attempt to sensor the openly disgruntled expressionists lead to many of them
fleeing to the United States.
It was here that they were warmly welcomed and almost immediately a great deal
of the German art was assembled in the major cities of New York, St. Louis and
Chicago where they found a home in American museums.
Irregardless of the attacks launched against expressionism in 1923, regardless
of France's refusal to acknowledge the achievements of the German artists and in
spite of Hitler's crusade to rid The Reich of these "degenerates" the
contribution of German Expressionism upon the art world cannot be discredited.
Thanks to the Die Brücke and their revival of print making and the Dresden
group's ambition with lithography, artists are able to reproduce their
renderings at a remarkable rate and a more cost effective method, thus allowing
their works to be enjoyed by many more people.
Even today it is possible for the most financially challenged to enjoy the works
of many great artists at a very minimum cost. With out the woodcutting art of
Die Brücke or the plate making of the Dresden group; imagine the excitement and
beauty that would be forever lost!
Research Links
Expressionism: Artists and their Works
... In the mid-20th century, Abstract Expressionism (in
which there is no subject at ...
Franz von Stuck, 1863-1928, German Painter/Sculptor, Franz von Stuck: Sin, 1893
...
Expressionism
... Franz Marc (German,1880-1916 ... is recognized for
its influence on cubism and modern
expressionism in its ... artists or use of the images within my art history
section ...
LookSmart - Directory - German Expressionism in Film History
... (It's free.). German Expressionism in Film History -
Read essays on the monumentally
influential film movement characterized by externalized emotions. ...
German Expressionism
... of German Expressionist Film (1919-1926/33) Another
well done essay, dealing more
with the history of the movement than interpreting the films. Expressionism ...
German Expressionism
... together over eighty documents crucial to the
understanding of German Expressionism,
many of ... to top) Rose-Carol Washton Long is Professor of Art History at the
...
Gallery Ludorff - Fine Art dealing and consulting - Expressionism ...
... The ones who want to investigate german art history
of the 20th ... then his
gallery`s portfolio focused on german impressionism, german expressionism, post
...
History of Expressionism
History of Expressionism. ... The term expressionism was
first applied to painting in
1911 ... The most important expressionist group was the German school,
originated ...
German Art
... Expressionism See what German Expressionism was all
about in 1890s-1920, with
About Art History Guide Andrea Mulder-Slater. Gruenewald ...
History of Art & Architecture: Graduate Program
... The Program concentration in 20th century German Art
was established by Donald Gordon
(1969-84), a specialist in the study of German Expressionism and the work ...
Art Periods, Art Movements
... Etruscan Art Etruscan art history resources.
Expressionism ... Expressionism. Artlex
Artist Dictionary. ... German Expressionism, a view from an admirer. ...
German Expressionism
... Expressionism, a parallel movement to Fauvism,
Cubism, and Futurism, is Germany's
first ... 20) may be the most innovative in the history of German culture; it
...
About the Curators
... course primarily for the production aspect, but
during the research portion of the
class I really became engrossed with the history of German Expressionism. ...
Powell's Books - Voices of German Expressionism by Victor H Miesel
... Voices of German Expressionism by Victor H Miesel.
... Miesel, Victor H. Publisher: Tate
Gallery Publications Subject: History - Expressionism Subject: History ...
History: Undergraduate Modules: HI136: Seminar Five
... Cinema. P. Coates The Gorgons Gaze. German Cinema,
Expressionism and the
Image of Horror D. Cook A History of the Narrative Film, ch. ...