Thursday, July 1, 2010

Richard Müller

Richard Müller, Archer IV, 1920

Richard Müller (1874-1954) was born in the Bohemian city of Tschirnitz (today Cernovice nad Ohra, Czech Republic) as the son of a weaver. His artistic talent was evident early on. In 1888, at the age of only 14, he was animated by a porcelain painter to enter the famous School of the Royal Saxon Porcelain Manufactory in Meissen, where he was immediately accepted. In 1890, Müller went on his own and without any financial support to Dresden. Here he was, although he had not yet reached the required age of entry, accepted at the Art Academy as one of the youngest students ever. In 1895 he met the graphic artist and sculptor Max Klinger, who inspired him to begin with etching.


Richard Müller, Self-Portrait, 1920

In 1900, now in Dresden as well known as Klinger, Müller was appointed professor at the Academy His students included George Grosz and Otto Dix. In 1933, shortly after Hitler had seized power, he became president of the Dresden Academy and, in such capacity, confirmed the dismissal of his former student Otto Dix from his professorship. But also Müller lost his professorship two years later because of "subversive tendencies in his art".


Richard Müller, Death as Arsonist, 1916

Nevertheless, Müller remained in high esteem as a painter under the Nazi régime. He exhibited several times at the Great German Art Exhibition in Munich's Haus der Deutschen Kunst, in 1939 with a pencil drawing of Hitler's birthplace. In the final phase of the Second World War, he was included in the Gottbegnadeten Liste of the most important artists, saving him from any war effort, even on the home front. Müller died in 1954 at the age of 80 in Dresden.


 
Richard Müller, Boy with Snake, 1912

Richard Müller, Meditation, 1900

Richard Müller, Archer II, 1918

Richard Müller, Message of Love, 1921

10 comments:

  1. I don't care or he was a 'nazi artist' or not. He was a bloody genius..
    His engravings are brilliant. Some of his paintings are amazing. Lots of his paintings/graphics are pure song surreal work.

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    1. "Nazi Artist" ??? Check his signature ... Nice Goodwin point.

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  2. Your information are wrong. He was disliked by the Nazi and he wasn't included in the Gottbegnadeten list. You are not credible....

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    1. He was included in the Gottbegnadeten list. What are you talking about?

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  3. I do not think that in this blog article, Müller was called a Nazi. And ad hominem critizism isn't to helpful anyway. By the way, in Kraftgenie's Müller collection on Flicker I like "The Miracle of Training" a lot: www.flickr.com/photos/48855989@N05/4664522340

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  4. i found an old book that was written in 1921 by an Adrien muller.(maby a son?) It contains many of Richard Mullers pictures. Its called Das Werk Von Richard Muller. Not speaking german im at a loss as what it is about? Any ideas?

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  5. Just bought a book "the rise and fall of the third Reich" in it there is a signature ex-libris Richard P Muller, it is in currsive with signature. After hour of research beleive this may have artistic, political, and historic value.. comments?

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  6. Didnt he draw the burial site of Hitlers parents also?

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