Things worth seeing about expressionism

Things worth seeing about Expressionism in and around Murnau

The charming Münter House, which served as a place of inspiration and home for Gabriele Münter and her then-partner Wassily Kandinsky. The Murnau Castle Museum with its wealth of Expressionist works and a permanent exhibition on the "Blue Rider" group. The " Expressionist Museum Landscape " with its impressive art museums stretching from Munich to the Blue Land region. In Murnau and the surrounding area, there is a great deal to discover related to Expressionism. Immerse yourself in the world of Expressionism and combine your holiday in Murnau with a unique art experience.

The Münter House from the outside, surrounded by green trees.

The Münter House was also known colloquially as the "Russian House." This was because Kandinsky's Russian artist colleagues, including the painter Alexej von Jawlensky, were frequent visitors. The small country estate in Murnau am Staffelsee served as an inspiration and the starting point for the new artistic movement of Expressionism . Other painters, such as Franz Marc, August Macke, Marianne von Werefkin, and Alexej von Jawlensky, were also frequent guests. The composer Arnold Schoenberg, as well as collectors and gallery owners, were also regular visitors to the Münter House. The Russian House quickly became a meeting place for the avant-garde and a refuge for artists. The working sessions for the almanac "Der Blaue Reiter" (The Blue Rider) also took place here.

Since renovation in 1998/99, the entire Münter House has been open to the public as a place of remembrance. The selected furnishings with original paintings and furniture as well as the unique atmosphere make a visit to the Münter-Haus in Murnau so special.

The Münter House

The Russian House and the “Blue Rider”

A pretty little house with a garden, blue shutters and a prime location in the tranquil artist town of Murnau a. Staffelsee. As soon as you look at the Münter House and enter it, it becomes clear that remarkable artists lived here. In fact, Gabriele Münter and Wassily Kandinsky spent several years together under this roof. They not only gave the house their artistic fingerprint, but also made it an important meeting place for the expressionist group “Blauer Reiter”.

On August 21, 1909, Gabriele Münter acquired the small property on Kotmüllerallee in Murnau. From then until 1914, she and her partner at the time, Wassily Kandinsky, often stayed here. They set it up together, laid out the garden and painted the furniture according to their own artistic designs. The view from the window over to the church and the castle often served as a motif for their expressive works. If you enter the house today, you still get the impression as if the artist couple had just gone away.

The Münter House from behind, surrounded by green trees.

The Murnau Castle Museum

More than just art

Once a medieval castle, the subject of countless paintings, and home to fascinating exhibitions of art and literature – we're talking about Murnau Castle! This distinctive building has always dominated the town center and, since 1993, has housed the Murnau Castle Museum . The museum showcases the internationally significant art and literary history closely linked to Murnau during the first third of the 20th century. The museum also explores Murnau's local traditions and culture, which are inextricably linked to this artistic output.

The extensive collection of works by the "New Artists' Association Munich" and the "Blue Rider" group draws visitors to Murnau. Together with the works of Gabriele Münter, they form the heart of the museum. The exhibits demonstrate that the artists found many of their subjects in Murnau and the surrounding region as early as 1908. There, they became acquainted with Bavarian folk art—especially reverse glass painting—which paved the way for their artistic development towards expressive painting. Kandinsky, along with Marc, Münter, and Macke, spent important periods in Murnau preparing the almanac "Der Blaue Reiter" (The Blue Rider).

Another focus of the Murnau Castle Museum is the history and development of the market town. The typical local industries of the time are also represented: feather flower production and reverse glass art. In 2013, the newly designed reverse glass art room with regional and international reverse glass painting was finally opened. The works on display, including works by Gabriele Münter and Paul Klee as well as contemporary works, provide insight into a fascinating technique.

Exterior view of the Murnau Castle Museum.

The Murnau Castle Museum dedicates its exhibitions not only to painting and art. Also worth seeing and special is the only permanent documentation of the life and work of the writer Ödön von Horváth. Between 1924 and 1933 he lived mainly in Murnau a. Staffelsee and wrote his plays “The Beautiful View” and “Italian Night” here, among other things. Horváth also began the novel "Youth without God" in Murnau a. Staffelsee. A visit to the Murnau Castle Museum is definitely worth it! All exhibitions make the connection with the place and its people, as well as the Murnau landscape, clear. The Castle Museum was founded in 1995 Murnau was even awarded the Bavarian Museum Prize.

Expressionism in Murnau

Luminous blue, intense plays of color, the view of the mountains… Murnau's picturesque location inspired numerous 20th-century artists. In the heart of the Blue Land , as Kandinsky and Marc affectionately called it, a new style of painting emerged: Expressionism. This art form was represented by one of the most important avant-garde artist groups, the "Blue Rider."

However, apart from the art scene itself, Expressionism was not particularly well received. Critics often assumed that artists like Franz Marc, Gabriele Münter and Co. were sloppily painted.

Expressionism as a response to social developments

The strong abstraction of objects was an essential part of the new art movement. It was of great interest to the artists to get back to the basic idea of art. Painters like Marc and Kandinsky were convinced that every person has an “inner and outer experiential reality”. This is where the feelings and impressions actually experienced differ from the conventions of society. Expressionism is therefore primarily a response to social developments: At the beginning of the 20th century, industrialization continued to increase. People begin to look for happiness in the big cities, where they expect more money and success. The gap between rich and poor is getting bigger and bigger. Through their art, the Expressionists rebelled against conventions and focused on people and their emotions. They began to show solidarity with the poorer people. The great goal of the Expressionists was equality. In her opinion, this applied not only to people, but also to art.

MuSeenLandschaft Expressionism

Enjoy art and nature between Munich and the edge of the Alps

Buchheim Museum

Franz Marc Museum

Campendonk Museum Penzberg

Lenbachhaus

The Blue Rider in Murnau

Picturesque landscape, unobstructed panoramic views of the Alps, the Murnauer Moos, sparkling lakes and bluish lighting moods - that's pure inspiration! This is where the world-famous artists around the “Blue Rider” found their motifs and created wonderful pictures.

Gabriele Münter, Wassily Kandinsky, Marianne von Werefkin, Alexej von Jawlensky, Franz Marc, August Macke. These and other artists brought about a transformation in 20th-century painting between 1908 and 1914. Gradually, a change took place in their works and in artistic thinking. The step towards Expressionism had been taken. Inspired by the landscape around Murnau and the Bavarian folk art of the Blue Land, the "Blue Rider" group was born.

“We both loved blue.” – How it all began
The “Blue Rider” finds its origins in the “New Artists’ Association of Munich”. There a break occurs between the members of the organization. Wassily Kandinsky's increasingly abstract art could no longer be reconciled with the basic artistic understanding of the other members. He and Franz Marc, who followed a similar painting style, left the artists' association. Together they formed an initiative that was primarily active as publishers of an almanac (specialist magazine).

"We invented the “Blue Rider” at the coffee table in the gazebo in Sindelsdorf. We both loved blue. Franz Marc the horses, I the riders. So the name came by itself." -(Wassily Kandinsky)
The lively exchange of ideas between Marc, Kandinsky and other artists in the association was ultimately followed by the publication of the almanac “Der Blaue Reiter” in 1912. It is one of the most important programmatic writings for the art of the last century in German-speaking countries. However, the new, expressionist form of art was initially not very well received, apart from the art scene itself. The critics accused the artists of sloppiness and saw the expressionist works as “carelessly painted” and “sloppy”.

The artists of the “Blue Rider”

Kandinsky's then partner Gabriele Münter, Paul Klee, Alexej von Jawlensky and Marianne von Werefkin are also among the most famous artists of the “Blue Rider”. They all share a common understanding of art, but each of them developed their own personal painting style.

Gabriele Münter
Many people associate the name Gabriele Münter directly with the genius Kandinsky, in whose shadow she lived for many years. Münter is nevertheless one of the great artists of German modernism after 1900.
Paul Klee
Paul Klee's vision was to “make reality visible through painting”. The depth of his pictures gives an idea of what he meant by them.
Alexei von Jawlensky
Jawlensky's painting style was truly extraordinary. His colorful compositions are extremely fascinating. Through constant exchange with Marianne von Werefkin, Jawlensky found his unmistakable style.
Marianne von Werefkin
The colors Werefkin used were bright and intense. But they were often interspersed with black. Nevertheless, the works created in Murnau in particular can certainly be compared with Jawlensky and Kandinsky in terms of color intensity.
Wassily Kandinsky
Wassily Kandinsky was a painter and theorist. He contributed significantly to transforming the object into abstract art in the traditional sense. He was not only a revolutionary in the art of the last century but also one of the founders of the “Blauer Reiter”.
Franz Marc
Marc's stylized animal world aimed to paint the animals as they feel, not as humans see them. He came closer and closer to abstract painting. He and August Macke also held the opinion that every person has an inner and an outer experiential reality. These should be brought together through art.