Otto Ritschl

(Erfurt 1885 - 1976 Wiesbaden)

Ritschl's early work is characterized by an expressionist and still figurative conception. With "Der Betrunkenene" (The Drunk) he took part in the exhibition "Neue Sachlichkeit" (New Objectivity) at the Kunsthalle Mannheim in 1925. The exhibition is to be seen as a break in his work, after the visit of the exhibition it was clear for him: "to give up the depictive painting of every way". Due to the influence of a stay in Paris, he broke away from depictive painting and turned to non-objective art under the influence of Cubism and Surrealism.

Vita

1885
born in Erfurt
1891 - 1915
Author of various plays, including "The Accounting Director", performed at the Thalia Theater, Hamburg
1908 - 1920
works at the regional bank Wiesbaden
1918
Beginning of his artistic activity
1925 - 1933
Chairman of the "Free artistic community Wiesbaden"
1939
Work as a consultant of a financial department
1945
Creation of first gouaches and watercolor works after the Second World War
1948
Exhibition at the Rheinische Sezession
1959
Participation in documenta II
01.07.1976
dies in Wiesbaden