OTTO HEINRICH ENGEL (1866-1949) The Painter from Föhr

02. March 2014 to 29. June 2014

No other painter has portrayed the living environment of the North Sea island of Föhr as impressively as Otto Heinrich Engel. A member of the Munich Secession and co-founder, along with Max Liebermann, of the Berlin Secession, Engel first travelled to the socalled Halligen islands of Oland und Gröde in 1892. From 1901 on he visited Föhr almost every summer, staying at Grethjens Gasthof in Alkersum and later running a studio in Nieblum. In depicting Föhr women in traditional costumes, typical Frisian parlours or plein-air landscapes indebted to impressionism, his paintings helped conserve a vanishing living environment that was perceived as “primordial” and “unadulterated”. Among Engel’s chief works are Das Kinderfest (The Children’s Party) and Trauerfeier auf Föhr (Funeral Service on Föhr) – works that contributed greatly to creating a sense of identity among the islanders. How did his paintings come into being? The exhibition offers viewers a fascinating opportunity to retrace how Engel initially created preparatory drawings, pastels, watercolours and studies in oil before painting his large-scale compositions. In addition to works from the Kunst der Westküste Collection, the exhibition will include numerous loans from private and public collections. The richly illustrated volume featuring the artist’s letters and notes, “Otto H. Engel. Briefe und Aufzeichnungen eines Malers”, is avail - able at a discount in the museum shop of € 25,00.

Otto Heinrich Engel
Strandleben am Abend
Otto Heinrich Engel
Strandleben am Abend
Otto Heinrich Engel
Dorfgasse in Alkersum
Otto Heinrich Engel
Dorfgasse in Alkersum
Otto Heinrich Engel
Im Schatten der Laube
Otto Heinrich Engel
Im Schatten der Laube
Otto Heinrich Engel
Am Festtagsmorgen
Otto Heinrich Engel
Am Festtagsmorgen