Heinrich Vogeler ( * 1872 † 1942 )
Artist Heinrich Vogeler
The works of Heinrich Vogeler reflect a dynamic life: from the idyll of Worpswede to the harsh reality of exile in the Soviet Union. Artistic, political, poetic – an artist far ahead of his time. Discover his art as a high-quality art print, a stylishly framed canvas painting, or a handmade painting on MYARTPRINTS.COM!
Artist with a Revolutionary Spirit
Heinrich Vogeler was born on December 12, 1872, in Bremen. His father was a hardware wholesaler, and Heinrich Vogeler grew up as the second of seven children.
His artistic inclinations led him to the Düsseldorf Art Academy, where he studied from 1890 to 1895. His training focused on figure painting, ornamentation, and decoration. His time at the academy was not without challenges. He rejected the teaching methods and often clashed with his teacher, which led him to interrupt his studies. During this time, he joined a student art society called "Tartarus," where he received his lifelong nickname, "Mining."
His father died unexpectedly, and the inheritance allowed Heinrich Vogeler to lead a carefree artist's life. He embarked on numerous journeys: to Bruges, Paris, Dresden, Florence, and Ceylon. Vogeler also inherited a thatched-roof smokehouse with a hearth in Worpswede-Ostendorf. In 1894, he visited his artist colleagues in Worpswede (a municipality in the Osterholz district of Lower Saxony). Together with painters Fritz Mackensen, Hans am Ende, Otto Modersohn, Fritz Overbeck, and Carl Vinnen, he founded the "Worpswede Artists' Association" in 1895. Their works were exhibited at the annual exhibition of artworks from all nations at the Munich Glass Palace, where they caused a sensation. During these years, he worked in the Pre-Raphaelite Art Nouveau style, favoring dark colors and biblical motifs. It was also during this period that he created his most famous painting, "Sommerabend" ("Summer Evening").
His house in Worpswede became a meeting place for leftist intellectuals. Before World War I, he enjoyed social reformist engagement and advocated for the interests of the working class.
Vogeler also gained recognition for his romantic craft drawings and book illustrations: "Granatapfelhaus" by Oscar Wilde and fairy tales by the Brothers Grimm. Starting in 1899, Vogeler designed illustrations for the Munich newspaper "Die Insel."
In 1908, Vogeler, along with his brother Franz, founded the "Worpswede Workshop" for furniture making. During this period, Vogeler experienced an artistic crisis. His works were no longer as well-received by the public. He even considered emigrating, but the outbreak of war in 1914 thwarted his plans, and he volunteered for military service. From 1915 to 1917, he served in Southeast and Eastern Europe, where he worked as a military painter. During his service, he became increasingly critical and was viewed critically as well. After publishing a post letter and the peace appeal "Märchen vom lieben Gott" ("Tale of the Good God") on January 23, 1918, to the German Kaiser, he was discharged from military service.
In 1920, Vogeler traveled to the Soviet Union multiple times, familiarizing himself with the lifestyle and the communist and socialist philosophy of idyllic coexistence. His second wife, Sonja Marchlewska, also contributed to his decision to emigrate there in 1931. Vogeler worked as a traveling painter on behalf of state Soviet agencies. He supported the establishment of true socialism and engaged in anti-fascist projects.
His painting style evolved throughout his life under various influences: from Art Nouveau to Expressionism to politically realistic motifs in his later years.
With the German Wehrmacht's invasion of the Soviet Union, many German emigrants faced deportation. In 1941, he was forcibly evacuated to Karaganda (Kazakhstan). In exile, the artist suffered from severe health problems and extreme hardship. On June 14, 1941, he died exhausted and painfully in a hospital.
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