Marianne von Werefkin

She was not only a talented painter but also a wise free thinker and hostess: in Marianne von Werefkin's Schwabing salon, renowned artists such as Wassily Kandinsky, Gabriele Münter, Alfred Kubin, Adolf Erbslöh, Erma Bossi, Franz Marc, and August Macke gathered at the beginning of the 20th century. After a lengthy pause from painting to support her partner Alexej Jawlensky, Werefkin returned to her own art in 1906, creating fascinating works in a new, expressive style. The artist, who came from a Russian noble family, was a key pioneer and co-founder of the "New Artists' Association Munich," from which the group "Der Blaue Reiter" emerged. In addition to the early works of the artist from Russia and the expressionist paintings that resulted from her stays in the Murnau region, Werefkin specialist Brigitte Salmen also honors the lesser-known late works of the painter, created in Ascona, her Swiss exile.