Curt Lahs

Curt (or Kurt in the early spellings of his name) Lahs was born January 15, 1893 in Düsseldorf, Germany. He exhibited at the renowned modern art gallery, Galerie Flechtheim in Düsseldorf in 1913, 1914 and had a one-person exhibit there in 1919. In the early 1920s, he was a member of the group, Die Junge Rheinländer (The Young Rheinländers), showing his work in exhibitions curated by their sponsor, Johanna (Mutter) Ey. In 1928, he taught at the Volkskunstschule, Düsseldorf, and in 1929 he became director of the Academia de pintura y esculera, Instituto de Bellas Artes in Medellín, Colombia. He returned to the Volkskunstschule, Düsseldorf in 1930. In 1933, he was dismissed from his teaching post by the Nazis, who branded him a "Degenerate Artist." At the school, he had met his future wife, Marianne (Ari) Matthiae, who became one of his students there. After his discharge, he and Matthiae re-connected in Paris, where she had become a student at the Sorbonne. She too had been dismissed from the art school due to her anti-Nazi activites.They spent the years 1933 to 1943 traveling and living in France, Germany, Yugoslavia and Italy, where he took part in one person and group exhibitions. They returned to Germany in 1935 and married in Düsseldorf. In 1943, he was unwillingly pressed into service (RAD) but was let go due to his "antifascist behavior." He was drafted into the German Army and the same year captured by American troops and placed in a British prisoner of war camp. Most of his early work was destroyed when the home in which paintings were stored was burned in a bombing. He was released from prisoner of war camp in June of 1945. He continued to work as an independent artist and had was included in several exhibits at Galerie Gerd Rosen and Galerie Brenner, Berlin, including a one person exhibit at the Galerie Gerd Rosen. In 1947, he gained a post at University in Halle, Germany. In 1948, he began a second position at the Hochschule fur Bildende Künste, Berlin, traveling between jobs by train. In 1949 he left the post at Halle after warnings from colleagues regarding new Communist government threat to him. He was again branded a "degenerate artist," this time by the communists. During the post War years, he was a prolific painter, completing many large and small scale paintings and drawings and exhibited several times at the Galerie Gerd Rosen between 1946 and 1958. In 1952, he won the Stahl und Eisen" Prize for painting, and in 1954, he won the Kunspreis from the City of Berlin. He died in his sleep of heart failure June 11, 1958. His works are in a several public collections in Germany, including the Neue Nationalgalerie Berlin, the Berlinische Galerie, Neue Nationalgalerie Berlin and the Stadtmuseum Düsseldorf.

See more detailed timeline, exhibition history and bibliography at the bottom of this page.

Beiträge zur Kunst des XIX. Jahrhunderts und un serer Zeit. Zusammengestellt von Dr. Paul Mahlberg. Herausgegeben anläßlich ihrer Eröffnung von der Galerie Alfred Flechtheim G.m.b.H. Düsseldorf, Alleestraße 7, 1913

Sommer-Ausstellung. Rheinische Kunst des 19. Jahrhunderts und un se rer Zeit, Galerie Alfred Flechtheim Düsseldorf, Alleestr. 7 vom 26. Juli bis 12. September 1914

Fritz Claus, Kurt Lahs, Werke von Hans v. Marées, 23. November 23 to December 6, 1919, Galerie Alfred Flechtheim, Düsseldorf.

Junge Rheinlȁnder (Young Rheinlȁnders) exhibition at the home of Mutter Ey, 1921

Grosse Berliner Kunstaustellung 1922, im Landesausstellungsgebäude am Lehrter Bahnhof: Verein Berliner Künstler, Rheinische Abteilung, Novembergruppe, Bund Deutscher Architekten, 1922 (Illustration , p. 51 “Harmonie in Rosa.”).

Exhibits in Paris, location unknown, 1933

Exhibits in Yugoslavia and Italy, 1937-1942 (locations unknown)

Kunstaustellung der Provinz Sachsen - Malerei - Plastik - Grafik, Stadtmuseum in der Moritzburg, Halle, 9. Mai bis 23. Juni 1946 (Catalogue ill #145 “Figurliche Composition.")

Galerie Gerd Rosen, Berlin, 1946. (Catalogue)

Jahresschau Künstlerkreis Gerd Rosen, Galerie Gerd Rosen, Berlin, Nov-Dec, 1947

Galerie Gerd Rosen, 1947. (Catalogue - with Juro Kubicek, Hannah Höch, and others).

Kunstaustellung 1947 Sachsen-Anhalt Malerei/Plastik/Graphik, Städtischen in der Moritzburg, Halle, May 9 - June 29, 1947 (12 works Catalogue il. #168 also included the work of Marianne Lahs)

Grosse Kunstausstellung 1948 Sachsen-Anhalt: Halle (Saale) im Städtischen Museum in der Moritzburg [Malerei, Plastik, Graphik] Städtischen Museum der Moritzburg, (86 painters including Curt and Marianne Lahs), May 2 - July 5, 1948

1 Jahr Galerie Henning – Malerei und Grafik (Incl.: Bachmann, Barlach, Crodel, Ehmsen, Hofer, Kaus, Curt Lahs, Otto Müller, Orlowski, Partikel, Pechstein, Richter, Rödel, Ruthenberg, Rübbert,Saal and Winkler), Galerie Henning, Halle, May-June 1948

Group Exhibition: Berliner Neue Gruppe, Berlin, 1950 (Catalogue)

Deutscher Kȕnsterbund, Erste Ausstellung, Berlin, 1951 (Catalogue)

Curt Lahs: Farben-Formen-Bilder, Rathaus Tempelhof, May 18 - June 10, 1956

Exhibition: Frühjahrsausstellung im Kunstverein Hannover, Kunstverein Hannover, Mar-April, 1957

Arbeiten von Curt Lahs, Galerie Brunsberg, Hannover, June, 1959.

Am Anfang: Das Junge Rheinland - Zur Kunst- und Zeitgeschichte einer Region 1918–1945, Kunsthalle Düsseldorf (Catalogue Illustration, p. 233) (link to collection), Feb - Apr, 1985

Curt Lahs zum hundertsten Geburtstag - Kubistische Figuration, Konstruktion, mikrokosmologische Abstraktion - Arbeiten aus vier Jahrzehnten, Galerie Bernd Dürr - München, Nov - 1993 Feb, 1992

1993 Curt Lahs Retrospective exhibition, Berlinische Galerie, Berlin, 1993

Curt Lahs, Lehr Berlin, Nov. 15 - Dec 20, 2002

Concrete–Minimalist–Conceptual, Works from the Collection of Stephan and Birgit Hupertz, Ernst Barlach Haus, Hamburg, 2013

Im Spiel der Formen: Curt Lahs and Heinrich Wildemann, Salon Galerie “Die Möwe," Berlin, 2019

Wiederentdeckte Moderne, Berliner Salongalerie “Die Möwe,” Berlin, 2019 August - December, 2019

Hölle & Paradies. Der Deutsche Expressionismus um 1918, Stadtmuseum Hofheim am Taunus, Germany, September 27, 2020 - February 2021

1893 Born Düsseldorf, Germany
1913 Exhibits in a group show at the opening of the Galerie Alfred Flechtheim, Düsseldorf (link)
1914 Exhibits in a summer group show at the Galerie Alfred Flechtheim (26. Juli - 12. September)
1919 November 23 to December 6, 1919, One Person Exhibit: “Fritz Claus, Kurt Lahs, Werke von Hans v. Marées” Galerie Alfred Flechtheim, Düsseldorf.
1921 Member of the group The Young Rheinlȁnders, exhibition at the home of Mutter Ey
1922 Group Exhibit: Grosse Berliner Kunstaustellung, im Landesausstellungsgebäude am Lehrter Bahnhof: Verein Berliner Künstler, Rheinische Abteilung, Novembergruppe, Bund Deutscher Architekten, 1922 (Illustration p. 51 “Harmonie in Rosa.”).
1928-1930 Teaches at the Volkskunstschule, Dȕsseldorf
1930 Director of the Academia de pintura y Esculera, Instituto de Bellas Artes, Medellin, Columbia
1931 Returns to the Volkskunstschule, Dȕsseldorf
1933 Dismissed from his teaching post by the Nazis, branded a "Degenerate Artist" (link)
1933-34 Travels to and exhibits in Paris, reconnects with his student, Marianne Matthiae travels with her to St. Paul de Vence and Nice
1934 Applies to emigrate to the United States, application denied (link)
1935 Returns to Germany, marries Marianne Matthiae in Dȕsseldorf, birth of daughter Angela
1937 Leaves Germany again
1937-1942 Travels to, and exhibits in France, Yugoslavia and Italy
1941 Son Christian is born
1942 Returns to Germany. Is pressed into service (Reichsarbeitsdienst (RAD) as a painter, but is let go due to “anti-faschist behavior” and drafted into the German Army in 1943.
1943 Captured by American Troops, incarcerated in British POW camp. Loses most of the early work when the home in which paintings are stored at the Augsburger Str. 62, Berlin, is burned in a war bombing 1945 June Released from prisoner of war camp. Continues to work as an independent artist.
1946 Exhibits at Galerie Gerd Rosen and Galerie Brenner, Berlin. 1946 May 9-June 23, 1946 Group exhibition Kunstaustellung der Provinz Sachsen - Malerei - Plastik - Grafik, Stadtmuseum in der Moritzburg, Halle. Catalogue ill #145 “Figurliche Composition"
1947 Begins Position at the University in Halle, Germany 1947 May 9 - June 29, Kunstaustellung
1947 Sachsen-Anhalt Malerei/Plastik/Graphik, Stadtmuseum in der Moritzburg, Halle, (12 works Catalogue il. #168)
1947 May 9 - June 29, Kunstaustellung 1947 Sachsen-Anhalt Malerei/Plastik/Graphik, Stadtmuseum in der Moritzburg, Halle, catalogue il. #168 1947 Nov - Dec Exhibition Jahresschau Künstlerkreis Gerd Rosen, Galerie Gerd Rosen, Berlin
1948 Begins a second position at the Hochschule für Bildende Künste, Berlin. Travels between jobs by train
1948 May 2 - July 5 Städtischen Museum der Moritzburg, 86 painters including Curt and Marianne Lahs
1948 May-June 1 Jahr Galerie Henning – Malerei und Grafik (Incl.: Bachmann, Barlach, Crodel, Ehmsen, Hofer, Kaus, Curt Lahs, Otto Müller, Orlowski, Partikel, Pechstein, Richter, Rödel, Ruthenberg, Rübbert,Saal and Winkler), Galerie Henning, Halle
1949 Leaves teaching post at Halle after warnings from colleagues regarding new Communist government threat to him. He is also considered a degenerate artist by the communist government.
1950 Exhibition: Berliner Neue Gruppe, Charlottenburg Palace, group exhibit with Willi Baumeister, Erich Heckel, Gerhard Marcks, Ernst Nay, Karl Schmidt-Rottluff, Max Pechstein, Hans Hartung, Hans Uhlmann, and others.
1951 Hochschule für Bildende Künste, Deutscher Kunstlerbund, in company with Willi Baumeister, Alexander Camaro, Otto Dix, Erich Heckel, Karl Hofer, Ludwig Meidner, Gabrielle Munter, Ernst Nay, Max Pechstein, Karl Schmidt-Rottluff, Hans Uhlmann and others.
1952 Jun - Aug. Exhibition: Deutscher Künstlerbund 2. Ausstellung - Berliner Neue Gruppe - Als Gäste die mittlere Generation der zeitgenössischen Maler Frankreichs, Staatenhaus, Köln
1952 Kunstpreis Düsseldorf for work "Stahl und Eisen"
1954 Kunstpreis from the City of Berlin
1956 Exhibits at the Rathaus Tempelhof, May 18 - June 10, 1956
1957 Mar - Apr. Exhibition: Frühjahrsausstellung im Kunstverein Hannover , Kunstverein Hannover
1958 June 11 - Dies in his sleep of heart failure
1959 June Exhibition of works by Curt Lahs, Arbeiten von Curt Lahs, Galerie Brunsberg, Hannover.
1985 Feb - Apr Exhibition: Am Anfang: Das Junge Rheinland - Zur Kunst- und Zeitgeschichte einer Region 1918–1945, Kunsthalle Düsseldorf (Catalogue Illustration, p. 233) (link to collection)
1992 Nov - 1993 Feb Exhibition: Curt Lahs zum hundertsten Geburtstag - Kubistische Figuration, Konstruktion,mikrokosmologische Abstraktion - Arbeiten aus vier Jahrzehnten, Galerie Bernd Dürr - München
1993 Exhibition: Curt Lahs Retrospective exhibition, Berlinische Galerie, Berlin
2002 Nov 15 - Dec 20 Exhibition: Curt Lahs, Lehr Berlin
2013 Concrete–Minimalist–Conceptual, Works from the Collection of Stephan and Birgit Hupertz, Ernst Barlach Haus, Hamburg
2016 2-Person Exhibition: Im Spiel der Formen: Curt Lahs and Heinrich Wildemann, Salon galerie “Die Möwe," Berlin.
2019 Aug - Dec Group Exhibition: Wiederentdeckte Moderne, Berliner Salongalerie “Die Möwe,” Berlin.
2020 Sept 27 - Feb 2021 Hölle & Paradies. Der Deutsche Expressionismus um 1918, Stadtmuseum Hofheim am Taunus, Germany

OLIVIA LAHS-GONZALES

Photography - Drawing - Video

Curt (Kurt) Lahs - Biography

Curt Lahs Works

Curt Lahs with his Students, late 1940s-early 1950s

Family Photograph

Curt Lahs, 1950s

Family Photograph

Curt Lahs, Townscape with Steeple, 1913, collection unknown

oil on canvas, 55.5 x 45.5 cm. (21.9 x 17.9 in.)

Curt Lahs, Untitled, 1918 (Ilustrated in "Schöne Tage im Hause Dexel: Das Gȁstebuch," Galerie Stoltz, 1990, collection unknown).

oil on canvas 100 x 80 cm (39.37 x 31.5")

Curt Lahs, Heiliger Sebastian. watercolor, 1918. (Private Collection)

Included in the exhibition "HÖLLE & PARADIES. Der deutsche Expressionismus um 1918, Städtischen Museums Engen + Galerie 27. September 2020 - 14. Februar 2021

Curt Lahs, Self Portrait with his Wife, 1925Collection of the Stadtmuseum Landeshauptstadt Dusseldorf

oil on canvas, 100 x 80 cm

Curt Lahs, Untitled Composition, c.1922 (Unknown private collection)

tempera on paper

Curt Lahs, Untitled Composition, 1920s

oil on paper

Curt Lahs, Untitled Composition, c.1925

oil on paper

Curt Lahs, Untitled Composition, 1924

oil on paper

Curt Lahs, Colombia, 1929

oil on paper, 50 x 63 cm

Curt Lahs, Untitled Portrait, Colombia, 1929 (unknown private collection)

ink on paper, image: 23,5 x 21,5 paper:48 x 31,5 cm

Curt Lahs, Untitled (Abstract Landscape), c. 1925

lithograph, 27 x 19.5 cm (10.6 x 7.7"), edition of 30

Curt Lahs, Nachdenkender (The Thinker), 1946

lithograph, edition of 30

Curt Lahs, Untitled Composition, 1930

oil on paper

Curt Lahs, Untitled Composition, 1935

oil on paper

Curt Lahs, Untitled Composition, c.1950s

oil on paper

Curt Lahs, Untitled Composition, 1955

oil on paper

Curt Lahs, Untitled Composition, c.1950s

oil on paper

Curt Lahs, Untitled Composition, c.1956

oil on paper

Curt Lahs, Untitled Composition, c.1950s

oil on paper

Curt Lahs, Untitled Composition, c.1950s

oil on paper

Curt Lahs, Untitled Composition, 1950 (Unknown private collection)

oil on paper, 111 x 166 cm

Curt Lahs, Untitled Composition, c.1930s

oil on paper

Curt Lahs, Cathedrale, (after 1945)

gouache on paper, 58 x 39"

Curt Lahs, Untitled Composition (Angel), date unknown

oil on paper, 14 x 11" (est.)

Curt Lahs, Untitled Composition, c.1956s

oil on paper

Curt Lahs, Untitled Composition, c.1956s

oil on paper

Curt Lahs, Bird, 1945

oil on canvas, 31 1/4 x 39"

Curt Lahs, Der Vogel (The Bird), from a portfolio published by Galerie Gerd Rosen, 1946

lithograph, 30 x 21.5 cm (paper) 25 x 18 cm (image), edition of 30

Curt Lahs, Untitled Composition, Late 1940s-1950s

oil on canvas, 31 1/4 x 39"

Curt Lahs, Untitled Composition, Late 1940s-1950s

oil on paper, 28 3/4 x 40 1/8"

Curt Lahs - Drawings

Curt Lahs, Falling Angels

ink on paper

Curt Lahs, Angels

ink on paper

Curt Lahs, Untitled, n.d.

ink and graphite on paper

Curt Lahs, Untitled, 1930s

graphite on paper

Curt Lahs, Carneval, Nice, 1934

graphite on paper

Curt Lahs, Cafe Scene, 1934

Included in the exhibition "HÖLLE & PARADIES. Der deutsche Expressionismus um 1918,
Städtischen Museums Engen + Galerie 27. September 2020 - 14. Februar 2021

Curt Lahs, Self Portrait with his Wife, 1925
Collection of the Stadtmuseum Landeshauptstadt Dusseldorf