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Gabrielle Münter at painting
Wassily Kandinsky • Painting, 1903, 58.5×58.5 cm
Description of the artwork «Gabrielle Münter at painting»
References to Gabrielle Münter in books and articles on art are most often found together with the name of Wassily Kandinsky. However, she was not only the beloved woman of the great painter, but also a talented expressionist artist. Kandinsky has painted very few portraits throughout his career, but he immortalized his beloved in several canvases (1, 2), however the Gabrielle Münter at Painting deserves special attention, because it depicts the paintress at work. He painted her from the back, her facial expression does not play a special role here, much more important is how her figure stands out against the background of the autumn landscape, occupying the central position and at the same time becoming a link between nature and the picture.
Gabrielle Münter was born in Berlin in 1877. Despite the customs of that time, her parents strongly supported her desire to become an artist. Since childhood, Gabrielle took private drawing lessons and attended classes at the Women’s Art School, since she was not allowed to enter the “men’s” educational institutions. Having lost both parents, at the age of 21, Münter became a wealthy heiress, which allowed her to travel a lot and develop her painting talent. In her search, the girl eventually came to Munich, more precisely, to the Phalanx art group school founded by Wassily Kandinsky. Having started attending his class in 1902, Gabrielle soon realized that she admired him for more than just being a good teacher. Moreover, at that time, Kandinsky was the only one to take the young artist seriously.
Their mutual interest quickly grew into something more serious. Everything was complicated by the fact that Kandinsky was already married, and at first he had to hide their affair with Gabrielle. Nevertheless, the artist broke up with his wife pretty soon and began to live openly with Münter, despite the fact that they never officially registered their relationship. They travelled together, worked hard and bought the very house in Murnau in which Kandinsky began his first abstract experiments. But their love relationship gradually came to naught and ended with the outbreak of the First World War. After their separation, Münter did not paint for several years, but then she took up her brush again, developing and improving her own style. Until the end of her days, Gabrielle Münter lived in the house in Murnau.
Written by Yevgheniia Sidelnikova
Gabrielle Münter was born in Berlin in 1877. Despite the customs of that time, her parents strongly supported her desire to become an artist. Since childhood, Gabrielle took private drawing lessons and attended classes at the Women’s Art School, since she was not allowed to enter the “men’s” educational institutions. Having lost both parents, at the age of 21, Münter became a wealthy heiress, which allowed her to travel a lot and develop her painting talent. In her search, the girl eventually came to Munich, more precisely, to the Phalanx art group school founded by Wassily Kandinsky. Having started attending his class in 1902, Gabrielle soon realized that she admired him for more than just being a good teacher. Moreover, at that time, Kandinsky was the only one to take the young artist seriously.
Their mutual interest quickly grew into something more serious. Everything was complicated by the fact that Kandinsky was already married, and at first he had to hide their affair with Gabrielle. Nevertheless, the artist broke up with his wife pretty soon and began to live openly with Münter, despite the fact that they never officially registered their relationship. They travelled together, worked hard and bought the very house in Murnau in which Kandinsky began his first abstract experiments. But their love relationship gradually came to naught and ended with the outbreak of the First World War. After their separation, Münter did not paint for several years, but then she took up her brush again, developing and improving her own style. Until the end of her days, Gabrielle Münter lived in the house in Murnau.
Written by Yevgheniia Sidelnikova
