Christian Rohlfs' artistic education came about by chance when Rohlfs fell from a tree at the age of 15 and suffered a serious leg injury. He spent two years in hospital. During this time, against his boredom, he received pencils and drawing paper from his doctor Dr. Ernst Stolle, who shortly afterwards recognized the boy's talent and introduced him to the painter and art writer Ludwig Pietsch in Berlin. Pietsch recommended him to the Grand Ducal Academy of Art in Weimar, where he began studying figure and history painting shortly afterwards. When Rohlfs was 24 years old, a chronic bone marrow disease in his leg afflicted him, so that his leg had to be amputated. One year later Rohlfs resumed his studies. In Rohlfs' works, different streams of time are reflected, as he always adapted his style to the current events and went with the times.
After his studies he focused on Impressionism until he was invited to the Hoof Manor to create portraits and paintings of the manor house. Finally he was invited by the most important art collector of his time, Ernst Osthaus, to the Folkwang Museum in Hagen, where he was to run a painting school. However, the project failed. Later Rohlfs became acquainted with Expressionism, which suited his preferences more and to which he devoted himself from then on. Only at the age of 70 did Rohlfs marry his then young wife Helene Vogt, who was only 22 years old. In addition, he was chosen as a jury member of the German Artists' Association, so that he received new motivation for his work. After his 75th birthday he changed his style again and from then on he depicted city views and landscapes. A short time later he painted plants.
After the National Socialist seizure of power, numerous works of art by Rohlfs were confiscated as "degenerate" by the then politician Joseph Goebbels, he was banned from painting and was expelled from the Prussian Academy of Arts in Berlin one day before his death. Numerous honors during his lifetime, however, indicate the recognition he was allowed to enjoy. Rohlfs goes down in art history as the most important representative of Expressionism.
Christian Rohlfs' artistic education came about by chance when Rohlfs fell from a tree at the age of 15 and suffered a serious leg injury. He spent two years in hospital. During this time, against his boredom, he received pencils and drawing paper from his doctor Dr. Ernst Stolle, who shortly afterwards recognized the boy's talent and introduced him to the painter and art writer Ludwig Pietsch in Berlin. Pietsch recommended him to the Grand Ducal Academy of Art in Weimar, where he began studying figure and history painting shortly afterwards. When Rohlfs was 24 years old, a chronic bone marrow disease in his leg afflicted him, so that his leg had to be amputated. One year later Rohlfs resumed his studies. In Rohlfs' works, different streams of time are reflected, as he always adapted his style to the current events and went with the times.
After his studies he focused on Impressionism until he was invited to the Hoof Manor to create portraits and paintings of the manor house. Finally he was invited by the most important art collector of his time, Ernst Osthaus, to the Folkwang Museum in Hagen, where he was to run a painting school. However, the project failed. Later Rohlfs became acquainted with Expressionism, which suited his preferences more and to which he devoted himself from then on. Only at the age of 70 did Rohlfs marry his then young wife Helene Vogt, who was only 22 years old. In addition, he was chosen as a jury member of the German Artists' Association, so that he received new motivation for his work. After his 75th birthday he changed his style again and from then on he depicted city views and landscapes. A short time later he painted plants.
After the National Socialist seizure of power, numerous works of art by Rohlfs were confiscated as "degenerate" by the then politician Joseph Goebbels, he was banned from painting and was expelled from the Prussian Academy of Arts in Berlin one day before his death. Numerous honors during his lifetime, however, indicate the recognition he was allowed to enjoy. Rohlfs goes down in art history as the most important representative of Expressionism.
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