More Women!

Paula Modersohn-Becker enjoys worldwide fame today. But who knows her fellow artists who were also active in the Bremen art scene in the first half of the 20th century: Clara Rilke-Westhoff, Marie Bock, Anna Plate, Margarethe von Reinken, Agnes Sander-Plump, Dora Bromberger, Elisabeth Noltenius, Gustava Tölken and Olga Bontjes van Beek?

As part of a research project, the Kunsthalle Bremen has examined its collection of drawings by Bremen artists more closely and made a remarkable discovery: In contrast to the male-dominated collection of the Kunsthalle Bremen, the Kupferstichkabinett (Department of Prints and Drawings) holds a surprising number of works by female artists from Bremen: delicate pencil drawings, flowing watercolours, energetic charcoal sketches.

Systematically held back, the female artists fought back by networking. Until 1919, women were not allowed to study at state art academies, which severely hampered their education. In 1899, the women of Bremen founded the Bremen Women Painters' Association, and in 1928 they joined the ‘Association of German and Austrian Women Artists and Art Lovers’ (GEDOK).

The exhibition traces the connections between the artists and their roots in Bremen and the surrounding area: artists lived next door to each other in Worpswede, Fischerhude and Dötlingen. There they taught the next generation to paint and draw – deliberately distancing themselves from the academies. Artistic dynasties emerged, such as the Modersohn, Plump and Breling families. Ultimately, the acquaintances made in the artists' villages and at GEDOK developed into deep friendships.

All works from the ‘Handzeichnungen HB’ research project can be found in our Online Catalogue.