SEEING THE BLUE RIDER COLLECTION FOR REAL - CHAPTER 2
The Lenbachhaus was close to my hotel although for some reason I took a rather long way around to get there. It is virtually the opening gate to the museum area. The trickling rain had stopped and a slight sign of sun was shining down on the outside café. That would be for later. I arrived around 4pm and thank goodness the centre was open until 9pm that evening. I didn’t have to rush nor would I have been capable of doing so after the morning’s performance. (Otto Dix/Beckmann)
It was during my courses at the Ecole du Louvre this summer that I had heard about the Lenbachhaus. It holds the largest Blue Rider collection in the world, not to mention the Wassily Kandinsky. I wasn’t too sure if I had time to see everything but until my stomach really complained, I would see what I could see.
The Lenbachhaus also holds one of Germany’s and Europe’s most important groups of avant-garde artists in the early twentieth century. The core of this treasure consists of a fantastic donation made made by the painter Gabriele Münter, who was Wassily Kandinsky’s companion until 1914.
On her eightieth birthday in 1957, she bequeathed more than a thousand works by the Blauer Reiter to the Lenbachhaus, among them ninety oil paintings by Kandinsky as well as around 330 watercolors and drawings, sketchbooks, and reverse glass paintings by the artist and his printed oeuvre. The bequest also included more than twenty-five paintings by Münter herself and works by other eminent artists such as Franz Marc, August Macke, Paul Klee, Alexej von Jawlensky, and Marianne von Werefkin. There was not one artist on view that I didn’t follow or had crossed borders for.
There were also other donations but these I will not go into…..
During the courses we heard a lot about the the artists’ association with Die Brücke in Dresden and Berlin and the Blauer Reiter circle in Munich which were two of the most important movements in the history of German art in the 20th century.
The Brücke movement (The Bridge, founded in 1908) was much more figurative compared with the Blauer Reiter (The Blue Rider, founded in 1911) which was distinctively colorful and sometimes more abstract especially with Kandisky’s « Compositions and « Improvisations »
I was to see Kirchner the following day who headed the Berlin, Die Brucke, movement. At least, I hoped that both exhibitions would help to confirm their differences and help me to learn something more.
What is so important about the Blauer Reiter, it wasn’t in actual fact a movement but a way of thinking - a search for the spiritual in art. Kandinsky said himself that artists were like prophets. You had to « feel » what they painted.
A few early works
It was in 1905-1910 and in parallel with Die Brücke that a group of artists got together in Munich to create a journal called the Almanach - they were Kandinsky and Franz Mark. Other artists, writers, musicians began to follow a group which was very mobile. Alexej Jawlensky (1864-1941) joined the movement and very much au fait with the Fauves (1905) He brought even more color to the movement. The two men met Schoenberg in 1909 - you may remember that when I was in Amsterdam last year there was a retrospective of his work along side some of the Blue Rider artists.
Kandinisky enjoyed Schoenberg’s music and soon there would be the « Compositions » which are so musical in themselves. Yellow became the color of music.
His improvisations are quite different. Inside unconscious impressions of what is going on outside. Little by little the paintings become more and more abstract. He said it’s what you feel about the painting, not necessarily what you see. Now look at the photos above.....
Franz Mark (1880-1916) was the « creator » of that Blue Horse we all know so all. I would say that generally, he loved horses, he loved animals.
Then of course there was Paul Klee (1879-1940) who gave another influence to the group.
Heinrich Compendonk (1889-157) - perhaps more cubic in his approach. Auguste Macke (187-1914) added again another point of view.
Ultimately it was a friendship between artists that the gave the world a completely new attitude to art, making an important contribution to modern art as we know it. Kandinsky and Marc succeeded in uniting inner « silent powers » , another way of thinking and developing a new conception of art. Not only painters but every form of art.
They were the protagonists. Gabriele Münter, who I mentioned above, was a student of Kandinsky’s and later his companion and an important ally. I like her work immensely.
The other members of the group I have mentioned - but there were also satellites members such as Marianne Von Werefkin and Jawlensky, Campendonk and the famous composer Arnold Schoënberg. Could one say perhaps that modern art was created in the little town of Murnau where Kandinsky and Gabriele lived (Upper Bavaria)? However, the outbreak of the first world war brought an abrupt end to the activities of the Blue Rider. Kandinsky had to leave Germany and return to Russia - the break came with Gabriele. August Macke and Franz Marc were killed in France. When Klee and Kandinsky were summoned to work at the Bauhaus they were soon defined as degenerate artists.
My notes from that fabulous week at the Ecole du Louvre may well have served some purpose. Seeing the works that our Historian Baptiste Brun talked about « in live » was more than I could have hoped for. I would go back there just to confirm yet again, that perhaps I have learnt something.
It was a moment for a break, a drink, before wandering through the permanent collection…..quite a day and tomorrow would be just as exciting. I know.
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| The area I got to know so well - starting up on the top |
It was during my courses at the Ecole du Louvre this summer that I had heard about the Lenbachhaus. It holds the largest Blue Rider collection in the world, not to mention the Wassily Kandinsky. I wasn’t too sure if I had time to see everything but until my stomach really complained, I would see what I could see.
The Lenbachhaus also holds one of Germany’s and Europe’s most important groups of avant-garde artists in the early twentieth century. The core of this treasure consists of a fantastic donation made made by the painter Gabriele Münter, who was Wassily Kandinsky’s companion until 1914.
On her eightieth birthday in 1957, she bequeathed more than a thousand works by the Blauer Reiter to the Lenbachhaus, among them ninety oil paintings by Kandinsky as well as around 330 watercolors and drawings, sketchbooks, and reverse glass paintings by the artist and his printed oeuvre. The bequest also included more than twenty-five paintings by Münter herself and works by other eminent artists such as Franz Marc, August Macke, Paul Klee, Alexej von Jawlensky, and Marianne von Werefkin. There was not one artist on view that I didn’t follow or had crossed borders for.
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| Alexej Von Jawlensky (1864-1941) Murnau Sketch 1908/09 |
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| Gabriele Münter (1877-1962) Kandinsky and Erma Bossi at the Table 1912 | - look at those socks ! |
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| Gabrilel Münter (1877-1962) Wagon Loads of Chaff 190/11 |
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| Franz Marc (1880-1916) Deer in the snow 1911 |
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| Marianne Von Werefkin (1860-1938) Washerwomen 1909 |
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| Paul Klee (1879-1940) The Wild Man 1922 |
There were also other donations but these I will not go into…..
During the courses we heard a lot about the the artists’ association with Die Brücke in Dresden and Berlin and the Blauer Reiter circle in Munich which were two of the most important movements in the history of German art in the 20th century.
The Brücke movement (The Bridge, founded in 1908) was much more figurative compared with the Blauer Reiter (The Blue Rider, founded in 1911) which was distinctively colorful and sometimes more abstract especially with Kandisky’s « Compositions and « Improvisations »
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| Wassily Kandinsky (1866-1944) Improvisation 19 - 1911 |
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| Wassily Kandinsky (1866-1944) Improvisation 21A - 1911 |
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| Wassily Kandinsky (1866-1944) Composition Vll 1913 - 1913 |
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| Wassily Kandinsky (1866-1944) Improvisation Gorge - 1914 |
I was to see Kirchner the following day who headed the Berlin, Die Brucke, movement. At least, I hoped that both exhibitions would help to confirm their differences and help me to learn something more.
What is so important about the Blauer Reiter, it wasn’t in actual fact a movement but a way of thinking - a search for the spiritual in art. Kandinsky said himself that artists were like prophets. You had to « feel » what they painted.
A few early works
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| Wassily Kandinsky (1866-1944) Mountin landscape wth lake 1902 |
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| Wassily Kandinsky (1866-1944) Park of Saint Cloud Autumn 1906 |
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| Wassily Kandinsky (1866-1944) Portrait of Gabriele Münter 1905 |
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| Wassily Kandinsky (1866-1944) Kochel Waterfall ll - 1902 |
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| Wassily Kandinsky (1866-1944) Dame in Moscow 1912 |
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| Wassily Kandinsky (1866-1944) Straight Road 1909 |
It was in 1905-1910 and in parallel with Die Brücke that a group of artists got together in Munich to create a journal called the Almanach - they were Kandinsky and Franz Mark. Other artists, writers, musicians began to follow a group which was very mobile. Alexej Jawlensky (1864-1941) joined the movement and very much au fait with the Fauves (1905) He brought even more color to the movement. The two men met Schoenberg in 1909 - you may remember that when I was in Amsterdam last year there was a retrospective of his work along side some of the Blue Rider artists.
 |
| Alexej Jawlensky (1864-1941) Spanish Woman 1913 |
 |
| Alexej Jawlensky (1864-1941)Meditation 1918 |
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| Alexej Jawlensky (1864-1941)Meditation 1922 |
Kandinisky enjoyed Schoenberg’s music and soon there would be the « Compositions » which are so musical in themselves. Yellow became the color of music.
His improvisations are quite different. Inside unconscious impressions of what is going on outside. Little by little the paintings become more and more abstract. He said it’s what you feel about the painting, not necessarily what you see. Now look at the photos above.....
Franz Mark (1880-1916) was the « creator » of that Blue Horse we all know so all. I would say that generally, he loved horses, he loved animals.
 |
| Franz Marc (1880-1916) Blue Horse l w 1911 |
Then of course there was Paul Klee (1879-1940) who gave another influence to the group.
 |
| Paul Klee (1879-1940) Rose Garden 1920 |
 |
| Paul Klee (1879-1940) Intoxicaion 1939 |
 |
| Heinrich Campendonk (1889-1957) Forest, Girl, Goat 1917 |
Heinrich Compendonk (1889-157) - perhaps more cubic in his approach. Auguste Macke (187-1914) added again another point of view.
Ultimately it was a friendship between artists that the gave the world a completely new attitude to art, making an important contribution to modern art as we know it. Kandinsky and Marc succeeded in uniting inner « silent powers » , another way of thinking and developing a new conception of art. Not only painters but every form of art.
They were the protagonists. Gabriele Münter, who I mentioned above, was a student of Kandinsky’s and later his companion and an important ally. I like her work immensely.
 |
| Gabriele Münter (1877-1962) Portrait of Marianne Von Werfkin |
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| Gabrile Munter LISTENING JjAWLENSKY° 1909 |
The other members of the group I have mentioned - but there were also satellites members such as Marianne Von Werefkin and Jawlensky, Campendonk and the famous composer Arnold Schoënberg. Could one say perhaps that modern art was created in the little town of Murnau where Kandinsky and Gabriele lived (Upper Bavaria)? However, the outbreak of the first world war brought an abrupt end to the activities of the Blue Rider. Kandinsky had to leave Germany and return to Russia - the break came with Gabriele. August Macke and Franz Marc were killed in France. When Klee and Kandinsky were summoned to work at the Bauhaus they were soon defined as degenerate artists.
 |
| Kandinsky, Horseman of the Apocalypse 1, 1911 |
 |
| alexej Jawlensky (1864-1941) Portrait of the dancer Alexander Sacharoff 1909 |
My notes from that fabulous week at the Ecole du Louvre may well have served some purpose. Seeing the works that our Historian Baptiste Brun talked about « in live » was more than I could have hoped for. I would go back there just to confirm yet again, that perhaps I have learnt something.
+.JPG) |
| Wassily Kandinsky (1866-1944) |
+Bedroom+in+Ainmillerstrasse+1909.JPG) |
| Wassily Kandinsky (1866-1944) Bedroom in Ainmillerstrasse 1909 - like something you know? |
It was a moment for a break, a drink, before wandering through the permanent collection…..quite a day and tomorrow would be just as exciting. I know.
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