Heinrich Vogeler
Encyclopedia
Heinrich Vogeler was a German painter, designer, and architect.
, and studied at the academy of arts in Düsseldorf
from 1890–95. His artistic studies during this period included visits to Belgium
and Italy
.
Vogeler was a central member of the original artist colony in Worpswede
, which he joined in 1894.
In 1895 Vogeler bought a cottage there and planted many birch
trees around it, which gave the house its new name: Barkenhoff (Low German for Birkenhof, or "birch tree cottage"). In 1901, he married Martha Schröder.
He made book illustrations in an art nouveau
style, and executed decorative paintings for the town hall of Bremen shortly before traveling to Ceylon in 1906. In 1908 he and his brother Franz founded the 'Worpsweder Werkstätte', which produced household objects. His paintings increasingly reflected his sympathy for the working class.
He volunteered for military service in World War I
in 1914, and he was sent to the eastern front in 1915. After he made a written appeal for peace to the German Emperor, he was briefly sent to a mental hospital in Bremen before being discharged from military service.
After the war he became a pacifist
and joined the Communist Party of Germany
(KPD). It was at that time that he and his wife Martha were divorced. From that point on, he wanted to work ideologically, and the romanticism
of his earlier work gave way to proletarian
content. In 1931 Vogeler and his second wife, Sonja Marchlewska, emigrated to Russia
. He was deported in 1941 to Kazakhstan
by Soviet authorities, and died there in 1942.
Meanwhile, the Barkenhoff became a children's home
. It was recently restored and has re-opened as a Heinrich Vogeler Museum in 2004.
Biography
He was born in BremenBremen
The City Municipality of Bremen is a Hanseatic city in northwestern Germany. A commercial and industrial city with a major port on the river Weser, Bremen is part of the Bremen-Oldenburg metropolitan area . Bremen is the second most populous city in North Germany and tenth in Germany.Bremen is...
, and studied at the academy of arts in Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf is the capital city of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and centre of the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region.Düsseldorf is an important international business and financial centre and renowned for its fashion and trade fairs. Located centrally within the European Megalopolis, the...
from 1890–95. His artistic studies during this period included visits to Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
and Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
.
Vogeler was a central member of the original artist colony in Worpswede
Worpswede
Worpswede is a municipality in the district of Osterholz, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated in the Teufelsmoor, northeast of Bremen. The small town itself is located near the Weyerberg hill. It has been the home to a lively artistic community since the end of the 19th century, with over 130...
, which he joined in 1894.
In 1895 Vogeler bought a cottage there and planted many birch
Birch
Birch is a tree or shrub of the genus Betula , in the family Betulaceae, closely related to the beech/oak family, Fagaceae. The Betula genus contains 30–60 known taxa...
trees around it, which gave the house its new name: Barkenhoff (Low German for Birkenhof, or "birch tree cottage"). In 1901, he married Martha Schröder.
Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau is an international philosophy and style of art, architecture and applied art—especially the decorative arts—that were most popular during 1890–1910. The name "Art Nouveau" is French for "new art"...
style, and executed decorative paintings for the town hall of Bremen shortly before traveling to Ceylon in 1906. In 1908 he and his brother Franz founded the 'Worpsweder Werkstätte', which produced household objects. His paintings increasingly reflected his sympathy for the working class.
He volunteered for military service in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
in 1914, and he was sent to the eastern front in 1915. After he made a written appeal for peace to the German Emperor, he was briefly sent to a mental hospital in Bremen before being discharged from military service.
Pacifism
Pacifism is the opposition to war and violence. The term "pacifism" was coined by the French peace campaignerÉmile Arnaud and adopted by other peace activists at the tenth Universal Peace Congress inGlasgow in 1901.- Definition :...
and joined the Communist Party of Germany
Communist Party of Germany
The Communist Party of Germany was a major political party in Germany between 1918 and 1933, and a minor party in West Germany in the postwar period until it was banned in 1956...
(KPD). It was at that time that he and his wife Martha were divorced. From that point on, he wanted to work ideologically, and the romanticism
Romanticism
Romanticism was an artistic, literary and intellectual movement that originated in the second half of the 18th century in Europe, and gained strength in reaction to the Industrial Revolution...
of his earlier work gave way to proletarian
Proletariat
The proletariat is a term used to identify a lower social class, usually the working class; a member of such a class is proletarian...
content. In 1931 Vogeler and his second wife, Sonja Marchlewska, emigrated to Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
. He was deported in 1941 to Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world, it is also the world's largest landlocked country; its territory of is greater than Western Europe...
by Soviet authorities, and died there in 1942.
Meanwhile, the Barkenhoff became a children's home
Rote Hilfe
The Rote Hilfe was the German affiliate of the International Red Aid. The Rote Hilfe was affiliated with the Communist Party of Germany and existed between 1924 and 1936.- Origin :...
. It was recently restored and has re-opened as a Heinrich Vogeler Museum in 2004.