Oskar Moll's art career began when he studied biology in Switzerland. During this he taught himself to paint and finally decided to pursue this career. Soon he moved to Berlin, where he worked as assistant to the German artist and graphic designer Lovis Corinth. He became his teacher and friend and Moll stayed with him for three years. At the same time he tried to study art science, but autodidacticism should always be more important to him. His love life also connects him with art, he married the sculptor and painter Margarethe Haeffner, his student, in 1906. Under her pseudonym Marg Moll gained this fame and influenced her husband towards cubism.
Together they moved to Paris and made the acquaintance of Henri Matisse, they were involved in the founding of the Académie Matisse, where this young artist taught. During the war, Moll was a member of the Novembergruppe, the artists' association (named after the November Revolution) with numerous Expressionists and architects as its members, and the Freie Secession, another artists' group led by Max Liebermann. Years later Moll became professor (later director) at the State Academy of Arts and Crafts in Wroclaw, where he worked until its closure. He was then transferred to the Düsseldorf Art Academy, where he had to fight defamation, however; finally he was dismissed and branded as a provider of degenerate art, one of his exhibitions was also prevented by the Nazis and his works were confiscated. These slanders brought him into great professional difficulties and forced him to close down his group of artists called Selection. Great masters like Paul Klee, Wassily Kandinsky and Max Beckmann had been part of it. He and his wife lived in seclusion in Berlin until their house (including paintings by Picasso, Munch, Braque, Matisse and himself) was destroyed in an air raid. They sought refuge in Moll's birthplace, Brieg, but were forced back to Berlin as refugees by the Red Army. Moll died there in 1947, and in the year after his death three memorial exhibitions were held in his honour.
To this day, Moll's landscapes, portraits and still lifes are extremely well known; he stands out with his abstract depictions and vivid, contrasting colours. His motifs often seem like ornaments. Moll remained connected with Henri Matisse throughout his life, he was also one of the first Matisse collectors and his art is full of the master's influences. He always remained true to his impressionistic and cubistic style, especially the combination of eastern European colorism and French influences make him stand out. About two thirds of his paintings were destroyed by the Second World War, but Moll nevertheless counts among the most important representatives of 20th century European painting.
Oskar Moll's art career began when he studied biology in Switzerland. During this he taught himself to paint and finally decided to pursue this career. Soon he moved to Berlin, where he worked as assistant to the German artist and graphic designer Lovis Corinth. He became his teacher and friend and Moll stayed with him for three years. At the same time he tried to study art science, but autodidacticism should always be more important to him. His love life also connects him with art, he married the sculptor and painter Margarethe Haeffner, his student, in 1906. Under her pseudonym Marg Moll gained this fame and influenced her husband towards cubism.
Together they moved to Paris and made the acquaintance of Henri Matisse, they were involved in the founding of the Académie Matisse, where this young artist taught. During the war, Moll was a member of the Novembergruppe, the artists' association (named after the November Revolution) with numerous Expressionists and architects as its members, and the Freie Secession, another artists' group led by Max Liebermann. Years later Moll became professor (later director) at the State Academy of Arts and Crafts in Wroclaw, where he worked until its closure. He was then transferred to the Düsseldorf Art Academy, where he had to fight defamation, however; finally he was dismissed and branded as a provider of degenerate art, one of his exhibitions was also prevented by the Nazis and his works were confiscated. These slanders brought him into great professional difficulties and forced him to close down his group of artists called Selection. Great masters like Paul Klee, Wassily Kandinsky and Max Beckmann had been part of it. He and his wife lived in seclusion in Berlin until their house (including paintings by Picasso, Munch, Braque, Matisse and himself) was destroyed in an air raid. They sought refuge in Moll's birthplace, Brieg, but were forced back to Berlin as refugees by the Red Army. Moll died there in 1947, and in the year after his death three memorial exhibitions were held in his honour.
To this day, Moll's landscapes, portraits and still lifes are extremely well known; he stands out with his abstract depictions and vivid, contrasting colours. His motifs often seem like ornaments. Moll remained connected with Henri Matisse throughout his life, he was also one of the first Matisse collectors and his art is full of the master's influences. He always remained true to his impressionistic and cubistic style, especially the combination of eastern European colorism and French influences make him stand out. About two thirds of his paintings were destroyed by the Second World War, but Moll nevertheless counts among the most important representatives of 20th century European painting.
Page 1 / 1