The life and career of the breakthrough german painter, paula modersohn becker. In a brief career, cut short by an embolism at the age of 31, she created a number of groundbreaking images of great intensity. The exhibition presents the highly distinctive production of modersohnbecker, an artist with the status of one of the radical innovators of german modernism. This new book is an authoritative source on modersohnbecker, who radycki convincingly portrays as the first significant woman artist in. The life and career of the breakthrough german painter, paula modersohnbecker. Portrait of rainer maria rilke was created in 1906 by paula modersohn becker in expressionism style.
Paula modersohnbecker was born paula becker in dresden, germany in 1876 to educated parents, parents that wanted her to work and be able to support herself. May 18, 2012 on may 15, 2012, naira gelashvili presented her book the happiness of growth or a painter paula modersohnbecker. After her education at a private painting and drawing school in berlin, she continued her studies from 1898 at the artists colony worpswede with fritz mackensen. From louisiana museum of modern art, paula modersohnbecker, bildnis rainer maria rilke portrait of rainer maria rilke 1906, cardboard, 32.
Portrait of a girl in the sun in front of wide landscape, painting on cardboard, in private collection quote of paula, 1897, in a letter to her mother. This biography of paula modersohn becker reads as a thoughtful vignette somewhere between diary, biography, and story. Paula modersohnbecker selfportrait essay paula modersohnbecker february 1876 november was a german painter and one of the most important representatives of early expressionism. Diane radycki addresses this question as she looks at paintings including the snite museums landscape by paula modersohnbeckera friend of rilke from the worpswede art colony. Paula modersohn becker the letters and journals download. The private life of paula modersohnbecker was spent in a difficult balance between a cultivated and rich german family, following the rules and restrictions of late nineteenth century european culture, and the strong desire for knowledge and independence. Discover book depositorys huge selection of paula modersohn becker books online. Paula modersohnbecker 18761907, an early expressionist painter, became acquainted with rilke in worpswede and paris, and painted his portrait in 1906. The french novelist marie darrieussecq has written a wonderful short book, an essay really, on the early 20thcentury painter paula modersohnbecker. In 1908, rainer maria rilke wrote his requiem for a friend in memory of paula modersohn becker, the german painter who had had a profound effect on him, both personally and artistically, and who had died a year earlier. The painter paula modersohnbecker died in 1907, a fortnight after she had given birth to her daughter mathilde. She was an important member of the artistic movement of modernism at the start of the. For anyone interested in the complexities of trying to combine a family life and the life of an artist, modersohnbeckers work and story are fascinating. Following the thencommon practice of putting women to bed rest for twofour weeks after delivery, she died of massive pulmonary embolism when she was first allowed to stand.
Before modersohnbecker 18761907 no woman artist painted herself nude, or mothers nude or girls nude. Modersohn becker is at once very oldfashioned and ultramodern. Paula modersohnbecker 8 february 1876 20 november 1907 was a german painter and one of the most important representatives of early expressionism. She stages herself in one selfportrait after another in a variety of selfpresentations, but her gaze at the self and the surrounding world is neither flickering nor inconstant. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. At first it seems that rilke was a little in love with both women.
Portrait of rainer maria rilke, 1906 paula modersohnbecker. First published in france in 2016, being here is so much traces the short, obscure, and prolific life of the german expressionist painter paula modersohnbecker 18761907. Included in the book are sixteen illustrations as well as new translations by torgersen of rilke s requiem for a friend and of the love poems rilke wrote for becker shortly after they met. First published in france in 2016, being here is so much traces the short, obscure, and prolific life of the german expressionist painter paula modersohn becker 18761907. First published in france in 2016, being here is so much traces the short, obscure, and prolific life of the german expressionist painter paula. Yet the subject does not turn her attention to the view outside the window.
It was here that he got to know the sculptor clara westhoff 18781954, whom he married the following spring. Excellent book about the intertwined and interesting lives of the german modernist painter, paula modersohnbecker, otto modersohn her husband, also an artist, clara rilkewesthoff another artist and rainer rilke poet. Following the thencommon practice of putting women to bed rest for twofour weeks after delivery, she died of massive pulmonary embolism when she was first allowed to stand, eighteen. Find more prominent pieces of portrait at best visual art database. Modersohnbecker, despite being one of the great modern painters, is today remembered primarily as she is.
Portrait of rainer maria rilke, 1906 paula modersohn. The short, obscure, and prolific life of the german expressionist painter paula modersohnbecker 18761907, a significant figure in modernism. Daily readings from the best of rainer maria rilke book online. Rainer maria rilke and paula modersohnbecker, by eric torgersen explores the relationship between rilke and modersohnbecker. Marie darrieussecq artfully combines diary entries, letters of the artist and close friend rilke with storytelling to bring paula to life. The sonnets to orpheus by rainer maria rilke, translated. In 1908, rainer maria rilke dedicated to her the, in the aftermath very famous, poem requiem for a friend, which is generally treated as a kind of pleasant illustration of paula modersohn becker s work and personality. Personal correspondence briefsammlung 19001907 correspondence. On saturday may 18, 20 at my book party i asked my guests to help cast the book.
The body of the woman artist paula modersohnbecker and. In a brief career, cut short by her death from an embolism at the age of thirtyone, shortly after she gave birth to a child, modersohnbecker trained in germany, traveled often to paris, developed. In 1908, rainer maria rilke wrote his requiem for a friend in memory of paula modersohnbecker, the german painter who had had a profound effect on him, both personally and artistically, and who had died a year earlier. The lecture will be followed by a book signing of professor radyckis new study of paula modersohnbecker, published by yale university press. The exhibition comprises about 100 paintings and drawings. Paula modersohnbecker, the challenges of pregnancy and the. On the motherhood paintings of paula modersohnbecker and. Naira gelashvili, paula modersohnbecker and rilke youtube. Paula modersohnbeckers letters and journals present us with a stunning insight into a struggle of intense interest for her time and for our own. Rainer maria rilke and paula modersohnbecker read full ebook. In autumn 1900, rilke stayed at the artists colony at worpswede, where his portrait was painted by the protoexpressionist paula modersohnbecker illus. With carla juri, albrecht schuch, roxane duran, joel basman. Rainer maria rilke and paula modersohnbecker pdf online.
In the summer of 1902, rilke left home and travelled to paris to write a monograph on the sculptor auguste rodin. Louisiana is organizing the first major exhibition in scandinavia of the german painter paula modersohnbecker 18761907. She is recognized as the first known female painter to paint nude selfportraits. In her paintings, paula modersohnbecker concentrates especially on groups of figures embedded in a landscape. All structured data from the file and property namespaces is available under the creative commons cc0 license. Rainer maria rilke and paula modersohnbecker new ed by eric torgersen isbn. Her brief career was cut short when she died from embolism at the age of 31. The short, obscure, and prolific life of the german expressionist painter paula modersohn becker 18761907, a significant figure in modernism. Paula modersohnbecker, the challenges of pregnancy and. Torgersen discusses modersohn becker s vital paintings, including her unfinished portrait of rilke. Paula modersohnbecker bildnis rainer maria rilke portrait. Files are available under licenses specified on their description page. Read the original nww piece on modersohnbecker, women and.
Paula modersohnbecker, selfportrait before view of paris houses through a window, 1900, on cardboard, 38 x 28. Paula modersohnbecker by averil king antique collectors club, 2009 this beautifully illustrated volume comes on the heels of two centennial exhibitions held in 2007 opening new, and persuasive, chapters in the scholarly examination of paula modersohnbeckers oeuvre. Portrait of rainer maria rilke paula modersohn becker was a german painter and one of the most important representatives of early expressionism. Radycki also details the genres of modersohnbeckers work. Eric torgersen has published five volumes of poetry, two novellas, and the nbanominated dear friend. For more, read darrieussecqs book, or seek out the letters and journals of paula modersohnbecker trans.
This page was last edited on 15 december 2018, at 17. Paula modersohn becker by averil king antique collectors club, 2009 this beautifully illustrated volume comes on the heels of two centennial exhibitions held in 2007 opening new, and persuasive, chapters in the scholarly examination of paula modersohn becker s oeuvre. Paula modersohnbecker wikipedia, a enciclopedia livre. Painting people is indeed more beautiful than painting a landscape. Born in huntington, new york, he has a ba in german literature from cornell and an mfa in poetry from the university of iowa. The life of paula modersohnbecker is published by text. Jun 03, 20 4 paulas husband, the landscape painter otto modersohn 18651943.
Online shopping for modersohnbecker, paula from a great selection at books store. A pioneer of modern art in europe and the first woman to paint a fulllength nude selfportrait, paula modersohnbecker favored simple forms and complex textures created by scratching into sculpted paint on canvas. Paula modersohnbecker, widely considered to have been one of the most important independent expressionist painters of the early twentieth century, was thirtyone years old when she gave birth to her first child. A pioneer of modern art in europe and the first woman to paint a fulllength nude selfportrait, paula modersohn becker favored simple forms and complex textures created by scratching into sculpted paint on canvas. Rowohlt taschenbuch, 1983 isbn 349950317 4 christa murkenaltrogge, paula modersohnbecker. Paula modersohnbecker 18761907 was quite a different representative of early. Modersohnbecker trained under fritz mackensen in the worpswede artists colony, alongside artists such as heinrich vogeler and. On saturday may 18, 20 at my book party i asked my guests to help cast the book as a film. May 27, 1998 excellent book about the intertwined and interesting lives of the german modernist painter, paula modersohnbecker, otto modersohn her husband, also an artist, clara rilkewesthoff another artist and rainer rilke poet. Paula modersohn becker, widely considered to have been one of the most important independent expressionist painters of the early twentieth century, was thirtyone years old when she gave birth to her first child.
Being here is everything the life of paula modersohnbecker. Modersohnbecker, paula 18761907 worldcat identities. Aug 02, 2017 paula modersohnbecker c1905 paula modersohnbecker 18761907 spent most of her childhood in bremen, germany, and decided to become a painter at a young age. Rainer maria rilke and paula modersohnbecker may 27 1998.
Portrait of rainer maria rilke paula modersohnbecker. Though paula was also drawn to rilke, she was already betrothed to german. Even after supper the two of us dash over to the poorhouse and do oil studies of the cow, the goat, and the old woman with her walking stick, and of all. Mar 02, 2018 before modersohnbecker 18761907 no woman artist painted herself nude, or mothers nude or girls nude. Paula modersohn becker, selfportrait before view of paris houses through a window, 1900, on cardboard, 38 x 28. On may 15, 2012, naira gelashvili presented her book the happiness of growth or a painter paula modersohnbecker. In a letter to the trailblazing german expressionist painter paula modersohnbecker, rainer maria rilke december 4, 1875december 29, 1926 offered some spectacular advice on managing the bipolar pull of autonomy and togetherness in a way that assures the longevity of any close bond and protects love from selfdestruction. The painter paula modersohn becker died in 1907, a fortnight after she had given birth to her daughter mathilde.
Briefwechsel mit rainer maria rilke modersohnbecker. The private life of paula modersohn becker was spent in a difficult balance between a cultivated and rich german family, following the rules and restrictions of late nineteenth century european culture, and the strong desire for knowledge and independence. Paula modersohnbecker all paintings from this artist available as fine art prints, canvas prints, paper prints or hand painted oils. In 1908, rainer maria rilke dedicated to her the, in the aftermath very famous, poem requiem for a friend, which is generally treated as a kind of pleasant illustration of paula modersohnbeckers work and personality. Dumont buchverlag, colonia, 1991 isbn 3770126777 marina bohlmannmodersohn. Apr 12, 2010 the letters and journals of paula modersohn becker rainer maria rilke, clara westhoff, and paula becker were all associated with the worpswede artists colony, near bremen in germany.