Paula Modersohn-Becker

No other artist of classical modernism has achieved a similar mythical status to that of Paula Modersohn-Becker (1876–1907). At the same time, perceptions of her work are often distorted by cliché. This comprehensive volume pays particular attention to the progressive nature of Modersohn-Becker’s work and how as an early representative of the avant-garde she defied all social and artistic conventions. How and why did Paula Modersohn-Becker succeed in creating iconic pictures that continue to move and fascinate viewers today? The remarkable radicalism of her work, her stylistic modernity, and almost photographic lingering on details can be seen in her series presented here. The breadth of her oeuvre, created within less than ten years, includes startlingly direct self-portraits, nudes, pictures of mothers and children, portraits of peasants, still lifes, and landscapes.