Paula Modersohn-Becker Museum
Encyclopedia
The Paula Modersohn-Becker Museum in Bremen
, Germany
, is the first museum in the world devoted to a female artist. Modersohn-Becker
(1876–1907) was one of the most important early Expressionists
, and the museum features key works from each of her creative periods.
Construction of the museum was commissioned by the businessman and art patron Ludwig Roselius
, who assigned the sculptor, craftsman and architect Bernhard Hoetger to design it. Hoetger had become acquainted with Modersohn-Becker while in Paris
, and created a unique Brick Expressionist
building in her memory. Opened in 1927, the museum now counts as one of the key works of expressionist architecture in Germany. The collection features works covering the artist's entire career, from the early pictures of her training years in Berlin
to the paintings she created in Paris in 1906-07, in which she most fully realised her artistic vision.
Important paintings and drawings from Roselius's collection are supplemented by works on loan from the Paula Modersohn-Becker Foundation. Besides Paula's works, the museum also owns the most extensive collection of works by Bernhard Hoetger (1874–1949). The rooms that he designed are now used for special exhibitions of classic modern art.
The museum is run by the Böttcherstraße GmbH company, named after its location on the architecturally significant Böttcherstraße
.
Since 2005, Jenny Holzer
's electronic homage For Paula Modersohn-Becker has been permanently installed in the stairwell.
Bremen
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...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, is the first museum in the world devoted to a female artist. Modersohn-Becker
Paula Modersohn-Becker
Paula Modersohn-Becker was a German painter and one of the most important representatives of early expressionism. In a brief career, cut short by an embolism at the age of 31, she created a number of groundbreaking images of great intensity.-Life and work:Paula Becker was born and grew up in...
(1876–1907) was one of the most important early Expressionists
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...
, and the museum features key works from each of her creative periods.
Construction of the museum was commissioned by the businessman and art patron Ludwig Roselius
Ludwig Roselius
Ludwig Roselius was a German coffee merchant and founder of the company KAFFEE HAG. He was born in Bremen and is credited with the development of commercial decaffeination of coffee...
, who assigned the sculptor, craftsman and architect Bernhard Hoetger to design it. Hoetger had become acquainted with Modersohn-Becker while in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, and created a unique Brick Expressionist
Brick Expressionism
The term Brick Expressionism describes a specific variant of expressionist architecture that uses bricks, tiles or clinker bricks as the main visible building material...
building in her memory. Opened in 1927, the museum now counts as one of the key works of expressionist architecture in Germany. The collection features works covering the artist's entire career, from the early pictures of her training years in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
to the paintings she created in Paris in 1906-07, in which she most fully realised her artistic vision.
Important paintings and drawings from Roselius's collection are supplemented by works on loan from the Paula Modersohn-Becker Foundation. Besides Paula's works, the museum also owns the most extensive collection of works by Bernhard Hoetger (1874–1949). The rooms that he designed are now used for special exhibitions of classic modern art.
The museum is run by the Böttcherstraße GmbH company, named after its location on the architecturally significant Böttcherstraße
Böttcherstraße
Böttcherstraße is a street in the historic centre of Bremen, Germany. Only about 100 m long, it is famous for its unusual architecture and ranks among the city's main cultural landmarks and visitor attractions...
.
Since 2005, Jenny Holzer
Jenny Holzer
Jenny Holzer is an American conceptual artist. Holzer lives and works in Hoosick Falls, New York.-Education:...
's electronic homage For Paula Modersohn-Becker has been permanently installed in the stairwell.