Frieda Kretschmann-Winckelmann, forgotten, unknown and unloved.

Kretschmann-Winkelmann, Frieda

(Berlin 23-10-1870 – 1939 Berlin)*

German painter, sculptor and graphic artist.
bookplate artist. 

After almost a century of darkness this wonderful artist finally has her deserved  entry in the digital world.

Self at the painting easel

Every now and than I'm lucky to stumble over pictures of a past auction and meet an artist whom I otherwise probably never would have met. All too often these auction results and the pictures afterwards are sold only to be viewed online at a fee. This is of course very tempting and although I fully understand the commercial motivations I fundamentally try to avoid subscribing or using those sites.  

I believe a connoisseur ("Gourmet, Feinschmecker") with a keen eye, some financial room for manoeuvre and a healthy feeling for a solid future profit bought them (all or most, they appeared in two succeeding internet online auctions). Recently I found them again: now offered for a ten fold of the earlier auction result ! If that is deservedly is up to you: but do I love them !  

She is said to be born as Frieda Kretschmann: there's no strict rule placing the maiden name before or after the husbands' in Germany. I think. She studied with Käthe Kollwitz and although it is stated she was a self taught sculptor in 1922 she studied in Hamburg with sculptor Ludwig Kunstmann (1877-1961)  well known for his animal sculptures. 

 Until 1935 she worked as a teacher in the painting school, the “Malschule des VdBK”. She sculpted a buste of Käthe Kollwitz and made an etching titled “Kathe und Milly(*)” and was a member of the “Deutschen Lyceum Club”, studied in Paris and London and lived for a considerable time with a catholic congregation in Brittany in France.

She received a second price in 1916 in a bookplate contest, but this one (right) is by Franz Stassen (1869-1949). 

A Horst Kretschmann-Winckelmann lived at  Kurfürstendam 126 in Berlin in 1926 and had a subscription to a philosophical magazine.

(bookplate for Horst Kretschmann-Winckelmann) 

She was member of the VdBk ("Verein der Berliner Künstlerinnen")  1901-1937 and board member 1927-1931 exhibiting in Berlin and Munich and with the VdBK 1901-1930. She is mentioned in most Artists Lexicons.

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(*) Milly surely refers to sculptor Milly Steger (1881-1948), who in 1917 was visited in her studio by Kathe Kollwitz. She was an admirer of Aristide Maillol and Auguste Rodin and was appointed "city-sculptor" of the city of Hagen. Her 4 bigger than life sculptured classic nudes, Caryatides, placed on the pillars of the local theater front caused a huge scandal at the time, now hard to understand. How far, in 2500 years since in Athens, have we "progressed" ?  

 Caryatides in Hagen and from the Acroplis Temple in Athens

And a (very Maillol) Caryatide at her home in Hagen "holding up" the balcony.  

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* Although her exact day of birth is delivered to us through time no further family or genealogical data could be found. So much was destroyed in WW2 that this is often the case. Please help me find or confirm her family circumstances. And if possible send other examples of her work for sharing. 
  
She is possibly related to Lily (Braun-) Kretschmann (1865-1916) a feminist writer and daughter of Baron Hans von Kretschmann (1832-1899) and Jenny Auguste Frieda Karoline von Gustedt (1843-1903). Her sister Marie-Else von Kretschmann (1878-1920) was married to graphic artist and Secessionist Otto Eckmann (1865-1902).

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All pictures borrowed freely from the internet for friendly, educational and non commercial use only. 

Kate Traumann-Steinitz: from Berlin to Los Angeles

Kate (Käthe) Steinitz-Traumann

Kate Steinitz

(Germany 1889 - 1975 Los Angeles)

German painter, illustrator and printmaker,

Leonardo da Vinci expert.  

Thanks to Jane's recent article in the Blue Lantern Blog publishing this nice woodblock print that she's found in the Los Angeles Count Museum I've discovered another for me unknown German woman printmaker for my project. This is the only woodblock print I've ever seen by her and it shows a bend in river Spree flowing and meandering through the very heart of Berlin. Maybe a German reader can identify the proper location and the bridge spanning river Spree. 

It's dated 1909 and she was right in the heart of woodblock printmaking Germany. She was a student of Kathe Kollwitz (1867-1945) and Aenny Loewenstein (1871-1925) and followed the “Malschule für Frauen” (Women’s Painting School) run by the great Lovis Corinth (1858-1925) and the influence of godfather of Modern Printmaking Emil Orlik (1870-1932) was within reach and teaching nearby. Her name and entry however are not recorded in the references of the VdBK, the Berlin Womens Art Association, otherwise a great source of information concerning it's many hundreds of members and "friends". But also missing is Aenny Loewenstein ! Kate has however an entry in the Wikipedia and there's a short biography available here*, take a minute or two to read it. 
  

She was a close friend of Kurt Schwitters (1887-1948) whom she's met when living in Han(n)over and Theo van Doesburg (1883-1931) and worked with both artists. In 1936 however she immigrated from Nazi Germany with husband Ernst and three daughters Ilse, Lotti, and Beate (below) to America where she later became known as a Leonardo da Vinci expert and museum curator.

Rumbling through the Internet I found a booklet that once belonged to Kate's daughter Beate (middle, 1920-1941) that brought me to Tom Seidmann-Freud (1892-1930) Sigmund Freud's niece.

Read the tragic story of this avant-garde and surreal illustrator of childrens books here. The original books are now very sought after by collectors. It is most probable that both women-artists and illustrators will have known each other.

All pictures borrowed freely from the Internet for friendly, educational and non commercial use only.     

Margarete Gerhardt (continued) and Helène Mass

Lina Elisabeth Margarete Gerhardt

(Frankfurt a/d Oder 1873 Berlin 1958)

painter and wood/lincut printer 

After some detective work new information about Margarethe Gerhardt came to me from friendly contact Thomas in Berlin.



Margarethe was born Jan. 8th 1873 in Frankfurt an der Oder and was trained in Berlin at the Schule der Berliner Künstlerinnen (Berlin Women Art School and Institute esth. in 1869). One of her teachers was influential and important Dora Hitz (1856-1924) friend and colleague of Käthe Kollwitz (1867-1945) one of Germanies most important artists.


Dora Hitz: Mädchen im Mohnfeld (Girl in field of poppies)

Margarethe traveled in Europe and received further training in Italy and in Paris. She was a member of many Berlin Art Institutions and was even appointed member of the board of the school where she was trained: in 1930, 1933 and 1936 probably until WW2 broke out. In addition to the earlier posting here are a painting (view on the Wannsee, probably around 1910-1920) and a picture from the van der Grinten Collection of a linocut print. The very nice oil painting is for sale at 400€. 

Margarethe (L.E.M.) Gerhardt, oil painting

Margarethe exhibited at the Grosser Berliner Kunstausstellung (Great Berlin Art Exhibition) with paintings and wood- and linocut prints in 1922, 1926, 1928 and 1933. After her death in 1958 an in memoriam exhibition was held in her honor in Berlin by her former School and Institute.

Helene Mass, oil painting

Among her fellow board members I found printer Helène Mass (1871-?) It is assumed she died during WW2. I found this nice oil painting (it's for sale on Ebay, modestly priced, might you consider to hang it) by her and in addition to the excellent postings and discussions by Charles (Modern Printmakers and Clive (Art and the aesthete: this Blog is sadly discontinued). Links to these Blog postings you'll find below. This is a good opportunity showing three new examples of her woodblock prints.

(from the van der Grinten collection)

Imagine listening to Beethoven's 6th symfony and looking at these merry musicians coming from the woods after the thunderstorm.

Another board member and colleague of Margarethe and Helène was Auguste Lind-Graf. The haystack in this nice print below is probably situated at the Ostsea, maybe the peninsula "kurische Nehrung".  I couldn’t find any biographical facts about her, but what nice colors.

http://gerrie-thefriendlyghost.blogspot.com/2011/04/margarethe-gerhardt.html 
http://haji-b.blogspot.com/2010/10/helene-mass.html
http://haji-b.blogspot.com/2010/11/helene-mass-four-more-woodcuts.html