Otto Modersohn, landscapes of silence

“His landscapes […] express deep, deep emotions.” Paula Becker, 1898. For painter Otto Modersohn, ‘simplicity’ and ‘integrity‘ were key, as was the portrayal of nature, which formed the focus of his work. The various twists and turns of life are reflected in his artistic signature, which ranges from expressive intensity and a build-up of colour, through rugged motifs with a dark palette to a dematerialised transparency in well-balanced compositions. Modersohn’s silent landscapes provide striking insights through the artist’s eyes into a reality that is seen but is primarily sensed. Biography 1865 born in Soest co-founder of the artist's colony in Worpswede 1900–1907 marriage with Paula Modersohn-Becker 1943 died in Rotenburg Wümme