Ludwig Meidner (18 April 1884 – 14 May 1966) was a German

expressionist Expressionism is a modernist movement, initially in poetry and painting, originating in Northern Europe around the beginning of the 20th century. Its typical trait is to present the world solely from a subjective perspective, distorting it radi ...

painter and printmaker born in Bernstadt,

Silesia Silesia (, also , ) is a historical region of Central Europe that lies mostly within Poland, with small parts in the Czech Silesia, Czech Republic and Germany. Its area is approximately , and the population is estimated at around 8,000,000. S ...

. Meidner is best known for his painted, drawn, and printed portraits and landscapes, but is especially noted for his "apocalyptic" series of work featuring his stylized visions of a pending transformation of Germany before World War I.

Overview

Ludwig Meidner was apprenticed to a stonemason, but his apprenticeship was not completed. He studied at the Royal School of Art in Breslau and, from 1906 to 1907 he studied painting at the

Académie Julian The Académie Julian () was a private art school for painting and sculpture founded in Paris, France, in 1867 by French painter and teacher Rodolphe Julian (1839–1907) that was active from 1868 through 1968. It remained famous for the number ...

and Cormon Academies in Paris where he met and became friends with

Amedeo Modigliani Amedeo Clemente Modigliani (, ; 12 July 1884 – 24 January 1920) was an Italian painter and sculptor who worked mainly in France. He is known for portraits and nudes in a modern style characterized by a surreal elongation of faces, necks, and ...

. He returned to Berlin to work as a fashion illustrator and produced views of Berlin. In 1912 he began a series of paintings that marked a radical departure in style and would make his reputation."Apocalyptic Landscapes," such as th
1914 graphite drawing at the Art Institute of Chicago
are interesting because Meidner executed them before any of the devastation of the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...

. During the same time, Ludwig co-founded the German expressionist group, "Die Pathetiker" with Jacob Steirnhardt and Richard Janthur. Their focus is on the use of pathos in art to get an emotional response, which can be seen in the apocalyptic landscapes. However his art group disbanded after their first art show in 1912. During WWI Ludwig served in the German military as a French interpreter and an infantry soldier. After the First World War Meidner turned to Orthodox Judaism and began producing more baroque-like religious paintings including a long and repetitive series of portraits of "prophets." He was an habitual self portraitist producing a series of

Rembrandt Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn (, ; 15 July 1606 – 4 October 1669), usually simply known as Rembrandt, was a Dutch Golden Age painter, printmaker and draughtsman. An innovative and prolific master in three media, he is generally cons ...

-inspired self-portraits. His portraits from 1915 to the end of the 1920s are a gallery of the leading expressionist and

Dada Dada () or Dadaism was an art movement of the European avant-garde in the early 20th century, with early centres in Zürich, Switzerland, at the Cabaret Voltaire (in 1916). New York Dada began c. 1915, and after 1920 Dada flourished in Pari ...

writers and poets. Meidner himself increasingly turned to writing—he produced several books of dense expressionist prose and contributed to many newspaper articles. In order to escape antisemitic repressions he moved to Cologne where he became an art teacher at Yawneh Jewish School in 1935. In 1939 he fled with his family to England (his wife Else Meidner was also an artist) where he was interned as an

enemy alien In customary international law, an enemy alien is any native, citizen, denizen or subject of any foreign nation or government with which a domestic nation or government is in conflict and who is liable to be apprehended, restrained, secured and ...

on the

Isle of Man ) , anthem = " O Land of Our Birth" , image = Isle of Man by Sentinel-2.jpg , image_map = Europe-Isle_of_Man.svg , mapsize = , map_alt = Location of the Isle of Man in Europe , map_caption = Location of the Isle of Man (green) in Europ ...

. He stayed in England, unrecognised, hovering on the brink of poverty until 1953 when he returned to Germany. Although the years in exile were a period of hardship and disappointment, he created an extensive oeuvre of very original works during this time. Among those are drawings and watercolors on religious subjects, humoristic scenes and a cycle on the holocaust. In 1963 he had his first major exhibition since 1918 in Recklinghausen and Berlin. He died on 14 May 1966 in

Darmstadt Darmstadt () is a city in the state of Hesse in Germany, located in the southern part of the Rhine-Main-Area (Frankfurt Metropolitan Region). Darmstadt has around 160,000 inhabitants, making it the fourth largest city in the state of Hesse ...

, aged 82. Meidner's artistic bequest is now part of the collections of the

Jewish Museum Frankfurt The Jewish Museum Frankfurt am Main is the oldest independent Jewish Museum in Germany. It was opened by Federal Chancellor Helmut Kohl on 9 November 1988, the 50th anniversary of ''Kristallnacht''. The Jewish Museum collects, preserves and com ...

Painting

Ludwig Meidner created numerous portraits throughout his life as a painter. His portraits are known to be distorted with flowing movements that create unusual perspectives in the paintings. This form of distortion and his unrefined brushstrokes is credited as helping to create an emotional sense of depression and anxiety in his portraits, which in turn detoured many from getting portraits done by Ludwig. Multiple expressionist writers such as Johannes R Becher and Max Herrmann-Neisse got painted portraits done by Meidner. Other than portraits Ludwig also created multiple landscapes of Berlin, which are frequently known as apocalyptic from the style of the pieces.Miesel, Victor H, and Ludwig Meidner. ''Ludwig Meidner: An Expressionist Master : Drawings and Prints from the D. Thomas Bergen Collection, Paintings from the Marvin and Janet Fishman Collection : xhibitionthe University of Michigan Museum of Art, 20 October – 19 November 1978 : Vinzent,_Jutta._"Meidner,_Ludwig_Baruch_(1884–1966),_painter_and_graphic_artist."_Oxford_Dictionary_of_National_Biography._ 4_October_2008._Oxford_University_Press._Date_of_access_12_October_2019,_https://www.oxforddnb.com/view/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-60612_The_series,_produced_rapidly_in_a_hectic_heatwave,_are_sometimes_considered_some_of_the_purest_"expressionist"_works;_in_them,_comets_cross_the_sky_like_canon_shells,_fires_rage,_men_scream_and_flee_for_their_lives,_buildings_totter_on_the_edge_of_collapse._Meidner_would,_however,_never_repeat_the_intensity_and_creativity_of_the_apocalyptic_landscapes.

__Printmaking_

Ludwig's_prints_are_made_mostly_through_the_processes_of__hard_ground_etchings,_lithographs,_and_dry_point._He_continued_making_portraits_in_printmaking,_such_as_a_lithograph_Theodor_Dauber_and_an_etching_of_Johannes_Becher,_that_are_reminiscent_of_his_painted_portrait_style.Miesel,_Victor_H,_and_Ludwig_Meidner._''Ludwig_Meidner:_An_Expressionist_Master_:_Drawings_and_Prints_from_the_D._Thomas_Bergen_Collection,_Paintings_from_the_Marvin_and_Janet_Fishman_Collection_:__xhibitionthe_University_of_Michigan_Museum_of_Art,_20_October_–_19_November_1978_:_[catalogue''._Ann_Arbor:_University_of_Michigan_Museum_of_Art,_1978._Print._He_also_created_an_eight_piece_collection_of_lithographs_known_as_"Krieg"_("War"-German)._The_different_prints_show_scenes_of_battle,_death,_bombs,_guns,_and_overall_destruction._They_are_made_near_the_start_of_WWI_to_protest_the_war_and_show_the_horrific_outcomes_of_war._These_prints_show_Ludwig's_far_left_political_views_on_War_and_his_connection_to_the_Social_Democratic_Party_of_Germany.

__Writing_

Along_with_being_a_visual_artist._Meidner_is_also_an_author_of_poetry_and_stories._While_he_mostly_wrote_poems,_he_also_wrote_a_short_story_and_three_books:_"Gang_in_die_Stile"_1929,"_Septemberschei"_1920,_and_"Im_Nacken_das_Sternemeer"_1918;_none_of_which_became_popular._Meidner_created__a_large_majority_of_his_poetry_during_his_time_at_war_in_WWI,_since_he_did_not_have_much_time_or_supplies_needed__to_paint,_draw,_or_make_prints._A_large_majority_of_his_writing_has_a_darker_tone_and_eerie_stories,_which_are_told_from_his_point_of_view_on_the_world._However,_Meidner's_writing_never_grew_in_popularity_as_much_as_his_art_did_with_the_expressionist.

__References_

__Bibliography_

*_Eliel,_Carol_S.,_"The_Apocalyptic_Landscapes_of_Ludwig_Meidner",_Los_Angeles,_California,_Los_Angeles_County_Museum_of_Art,_1989. *_Meidner,_Ludwig,_"Ludwig_Meidner,_An_Expressionist_Master",_Ann_Arbor,_Michigan,_The_Museum,_1978. *_"Ludwig_und_Else_Meidner"_(exhibition_catalogue_in_German_and_English)_Frankfurt_a._M._Jüdisches_Museum_Frankfurt,_Ben_Uri_Gallery,_2002 *_"Eavesdropper_on_an_age_:_Ludwig_Meidner_in_exile"_(exhibition_catalogue_Museum_Giersch.html" ;"title="atalogue''. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Museum of Art, 1978. Print. However, only a single painting is directly connected the idea of apocalypse through the title. While some people believe they predict the oncoming of WWI, others see it as presenting the movement and chaos of the urban world.Vinzent, Jutta. "Meidner, Ludwig Baruch (1884–1966), painter and graphic artist." Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. 4 October 2008. Oxford University Press. Date of access 12 October 2019, https://www.oxforddnb.com/view/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-60612 The series, produced rapidly in a hectic heatwave, are sometimes considered some of the purest "expressionist" works; in them, comets cross the sky like canon shells, fires rage, men scream and flee for their lives, buildings totter on the edge of collapse. Meidner would, however, never repeat the intensity and creativity of the apocalyptic landscapes.

Printmaking

Ludwig's prints are made mostly through the processes of hard ground etchings, lithographs, and dry point. He continued making portraits in printmaking, such as a lithograph Theodor Dauber and an etching of Johannes Becher, that are reminiscent of his painted portrait style.Miesel, Victor H, and Ludwig Meidner. ''Ludwig Meidner: An Expressionist Master : Drawings and Prints from the D. Thomas Bergen Collection, Paintings from the Marvin and Janet Fishman Collection : xhibitionthe University of Michigan Museum of Art, 20 October – 19 November 1978 :

__Writing_

__References_

__Bibliography_

_External_links

*_ *_
Works_by_Ludwig_Meidner
at_Jüdisches_Museum_Frankfurt.html" "title="atalogue''. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Museum of Art, 1978. Print. He also created an eight piece collection of lithographs known as "Krieg" ("War"-German). The different prints show scenes of battle, death, bombs, guns, and overall destruction. They are made near the start of WWI to protest the war and show the horrific outcomes of war. These prints show Ludwig's far left political views on War and his connection to the Social Democratic Party of Germany.

Writing

Along with being a visual artist. Meidner is also an author of poetry and stories. While he mostly wrote poems, he also wrote a short story and three books: "Gang in die Stile" 1929," Septemberschei" 1920, and "Im Nacken das Sternemeer" 1918; none of which became popular. Meidner created a large majority of his poetry during his time at war in WWI, since he did not have much time or supplies needed to paint, draw, or make prints. A large majority of his writing has a darker tone and eerie stories, which are told from his point of view on the world. However, Meidner's writing never grew in popularity as much as his art did with the expressionist.

References

Bibliography

* Eliel, Carol S., "The Apocalyptic Landscapes of Ludwig Meidner", Los Angeles, California, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 1989. * Meidner, Ludwig, "Ludwig Meidner, An Expressionist Master", Ann Arbor, Michigan, The Museum, 1978. * "Ludwig und Else Meidner" (exhibition catalogue in German and English) Frankfurt a. M. Jüdisches Museum Frankfurt, Ben Uri Gallery, 2002 * "Eavesdropper on an age : Ludwig Meidner in exile" (exhibition catalogue Museum Giersch">Museum Giersch der Goethe-Universität, Frankfurt am Main). Munich, Hirmer, 2016, (Englisch); (German) * Erik Riedel, Mirjam Wenzel (Ed.): ''Ludwig Meidner. Expressionismus, Ekstase, Exil / Expressionism, Ecstasy, Exile''. Berlin 2018, . (German and English)

External links

* *
Works by Ludwig Meidner
at Jüdisches Museum Frankfurt">Jewish Museum Frankfurt The Jewish Museum Frankfurt am Main is the oldest independent Jewish Museum in Germany. It was opened by Federal Chancellor Helmut Kohl on 9 November 1988, the 50th anniversary of ''Kristallnacht''. The Jewish Museum collects, preserves and com ...

2 artworks by Ludwig Meidner
at th
Ben Uri
site

about Ludwig Meidner at ''Arts in Exile''
Online exhibition
about Ludwig Meidner at ''Google Arts & Culture'' {{DEFAULTSORT:Meidner, Ludwig 1884 births 1966 deaths People from Bierutów People from the Province of Silesia Jewish emigrants from Nazi Germany to the United Kingdom 20th-century German painters 20th-century German male artists German male painters Jewish painters German Expressionist painters Commanders Crosses of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany People interned in the Isle of Man during World War II Académie Julian alumni German Jewish military personnel of World War I