Marianne von Werefkin
Encyclopedia
Marianne von Werefkin ' onMouseout='HidePop("15603")' href="/topics/Tula,_Russia">Tula, Russia
– 6 February 1938, Ascona
, Switzerland
), born Marianna Wladimirowna Werewkina (transliteration Marianna Vladimirovna Verëvkina), was a Russian-Swiss Expressionist
painter.
, the most important painter of Russian Realism
. Her progress was dealt a setback by a hunting accident in 1888 in which she shot her right hand, the one with which she painted.
In 1892 she met Alexej von Jawlensky
, who desired to be her protégé, and in 1896 she, Jawlensky, and their servant moved to Munich
. For the sake of Jawlensky's painting, Werefkin interrupted her painting for almost ten years.
She created her first expressionist works in 1907. In these she followed Paul Gauguin
's and Louis Anquetin's
style of "surface painting", while also showing the influence of Edvard Munch
. In 1909, the Neue Künstlervereinigung München
(New Association of Artists in Munich, NKVM) was founded. It became a forum of exhibitions and programming.
At the outbreak of the First World War, they immigrated to Switzerland, near Geneva
. They later moved to Zurich
. By 1918, they had separated, and Werefkin moved alone to Ascona
, on Lago Maggiore. In 1924 she founded the artist group "Großer Bär" (i.e., Big Bear, Ursa Major
).
In her later years, she painted posters. Her friends "Carmen" and "Diego Hagmann" protected her from poverty.
She was buried in the Russian graveyard in Ascona.
Tula, Russia
Tula is an industrial city and the administrative center of Tula Oblast, Russia. It is located south of Moscow, on the Upa River. Population: -History:...
– 6 February 1938, Ascona
Ascona
Ascona is a municipality in the district of Locarno in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland.It is located on the shore of Lake Maggiore.The town is a popular tourist destination, and holds a yearly jazz festival, the Ascona Jazz Festival....
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
), born Marianna Wladimirowna Werewkina (transliteration Marianna Vladimirovna Verëvkina), was a Russian-Swiss Expressionist
Expressionism
Expressionism was a modernist movement, initially in poetry and painting, originating in Germany at the beginning of the 20th century. Its typical trait is to present the world solely from a subjective perspective, distorting it radically for emotional effect in order to evoke moods or ideas...
painter.
Life and career
Marianne von Werefkin was born the daughter of the commander of the Ekaterinaburg Regiment. In 1880, she became a student of Ilya RepinIlya Yefimovich Repin
Ilya Yefimovich Repin |realist]]ic works often expressed great psychological depth and exposed the tensions within the existing social order. Beginning in the late 1920s, detailed works on him were published in the Soviet Union, where a Repin cult developed about a decade later...
, the most important painter of Russian Realism
Realism (arts)
Realism in the visual arts and literature refers to the general attempt to depict subjects "in accordance with secular, empirical rules", as they are considered to exist in third person objective reality, without embellishment or interpretation...
. Her progress was dealt a setback by a hunting accident in 1888 in which she shot her right hand, the one with which she painted.
In 1892 she met Alexej von Jawlensky
Alexej von Jawlensky
Alexej Georgewitsch von Jawlensky was a Russian expressionist painter active in Germany. He was a key member of the New Munich Artist's Association , Der Blaue Reiter group and later the Die Blaue Vier .-Life and work:Alexej von Jawlensky was born in Torzhok, a town in Tver...
, who desired to be her protégé, and in 1896 she, Jawlensky, and their servant moved to Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
. For the sake of Jawlensky's painting, Werefkin interrupted her painting for almost ten years.
She created her first expressionist works in 1907. In these she followed Paul Gauguin
Paul Gauguin
Eugène Henri Paul Gauguin was a leading French Post-Impressionist artist. He was an important figure in the Symbolist movement as a painter, sculptor, print-maker, ceramist, and writer...
's and Louis Anquetin's
Louis Anquetin
Louis Anquetin was a French painter.Anquetin was born in Étrépagny, France and educated at the Lycée Pierre Corneille in Rouen....
style of "surface painting", while also showing the influence of Edvard Munch
Edvard Munch
Edvard Munch was a Norwegian Symbolist painter, printmaker and an important forerunner of expressionist art. His best-known composition, The Scream, is part of a series The Frieze of Life, in which Munch explored the themes of love, fear, death, melancholia, and anxiety.- Childhood :Edvard Munch...
. In 1909, the Neue Künstlervereinigung München
Neue Künstlervereinigung München
The Neue Künstlervereinigung München e.V , formed in 1909 in Munich around Wassily Kandinsky, and prefigured Der Blaue Reiter, the first modernist secession which is regarded as a forerunner and pathfinder for Modern art in 20th century Germany.-Historical background:The founding members were:...
(New Association of Artists in Munich, NKVM) was founded. It became a forum of exhibitions and programming.
At the outbreak of the First World War, they immigrated to Switzerland, near Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
. They later moved to Zurich
Zürich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
. By 1918, they had separated, and Werefkin moved alone to Ascona
Ascona
Ascona is a municipality in the district of Locarno in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland.It is located on the shore of Lake Maggiore.The town is a popular tourist destination, and holds a yearly jazz festival, the Ascona Jazz Festival....
, on Lago Maggiore. In 1924 she founded the artist group "Großer Bär" (i.e., Big Bear, Ursa Major
Ursa Major
Ursa Major , also known as the Great Bear, is a constellation visible throughout the year in most of the northern hemisphere. It can best be seen in April...
).
In her later years, she painted posters. Her friends "Carmen" and "Diego Hagmann" protected her from poverty.
She was buried in the Russian graveyard in Ascona.
Selected works
- Herbst (Schule) / Autumn (School), 1907
- Im Café / In the café, 1909
- Tragische Stimmung / Tragic Mood, 1910
- Schlittschuhläufer / Ice Skater, around 1911
External links
- A short biography, with a photo
- Marianne von Werefkin at Bohusläns museum, Uddevalla, Sweden (in Swedish)