ABSTRACT ART

ADOLF HÖLZEL

Adolf Hölzel

Born 13 May 1853 Olmütz Czech
Died 17 October 1934 Stuttgart

German painter, an early protagonist of abstraction and pioneer of modernism.

After completing his three-year apprenticeship as a typesetter, his father, who was not happy with his love of art and preferred that he help with the family business, allowed him to continue his art studies at the Vienna Academy. Hölzel studied at the Academy for four years before moving to Munich to develop further.
Hölzel had an affinity for both cities and was a co-founder of the Munich and Vienna Secessionist movements, which sought to break away from the constraints of traditional art.
He married Karoline Emilie in 1882 and spent some time in Paris before moving to Dachau in 1887. Adolf founded his painting school and soon gained a following due to his innovative teaching methods.
Hölzel was influenced by French Impressionism, which can be seen in many of his earlier works. He turned to drawing black and white designs and figures before moving on to abstract forms full of color.
Although Adolf Hölzel was a wonderful teacher to many students, his artistic talent was not recognized during his lifetime. He died in Stuttgart on October 17, 1934. However, before his death, he wrote: “I do not want anyone to experience any inconvenience as a result of my death. After all, I know how few people were interested in my artistic endeavors and thus in me.”
Three years later, as part of the campaign against “degenerate art”, Hölzel’s works were confiscated from the Silesian Museum of Fine Arts in Breslau and the Württemberg State Gallery in Stuttgart. Most of them are now back in public collections.