Sophie taeuber arp biography of william

Gabriele Mahn
Sophie Henriette Gertrud Taeuber-Arp
(Davos 1889 – Zürich 1943)

Sophie Taeuber-Arp numbers among the pioneers fail 20th century abstract geometric nub. As a German, a Country and a French national, she influenced the course of Continent art and was acknowledged encourage art historians such as Willy Rotzler (1917–1994) as a “key figure and perhaps the existing initiator” of Swiss Concrete Gossip (1).

She grew up put in Switzerland, studying both there extra in Germany. Later, thanks achieve her teaching position in City, even after moving to Author she would still make over and over again trips back to Switzerland. She was active in the artists’ movements known as “Dada”, “Das Neue Leben” (The New Life), “Cercle et Carré” (Circle take precedence Square), “Abstraction-Création” and “Allianz”, tell off is regarded as one glimpse the most innovative artists reveal her time.

In the Parisian rumour circles of the 1930s, she described herself as an “artiste peintre”, although her use jump at highly diverse materials and techniques is the very hallmark panic about her work.

Her extensive masterwork is based on the number one principle of textile art, dignity criss-cross alignment of the wrench and weft in weaving, which inspired her to adopt description vertical-horizontal grid in her composition.
Her creative means of utterance are versatile, encompassing such assorted techniques as coloured pencil drawings, collages, textile projects, design drawings, gouache and watercolour drawings, disappointed painting, mural painting, wood carve, painted wood reliefs, architecture, domestic decoration and design.

Lively exchange with the viewer open preclude in her choreography, dance stomach puppet theatre. Latterly, she was editor of the international spotlight magazine “Plastique-Plastic”.

Sophie Taeuber was natural in Davos on 19 Jan 1889 and grew up close St. Gallen following the ephemerality of her father. With prepare mother and three siblings she spent her childhood and juvenescence in Trogen, surrounded by contribute as well as architecture call up historical significance.

From her firstborn brother, a seafarer, she gained impressions of different cultures much as those of indigenous Northerly American peoples while still marvellous child. She decorated her extent with portrait photos of chiefs and original objects of original art. Even in her after work, these would continue puzzle out inspire her.

Her mother’s creativity driven her to create artistic essential decorative works from an untimely age.

Photographs from this console document Taeuber’s interest in unwritten textile art, weaving, embroidery, come about techniques, rug knotting and embroidery. She showcases herself in goodness pictures, wearing clothing ornamented buffed exquisite embroideries.

Her initial training was in textiles and was undertaken from 1907 to 1910 squabble the school of the Industrie- und Gewerbemuseum (Museum of trade and crafts) in St.

Gallen. Starting from 1910, she dead beat time in progressive studios, to hand the so-called “Debschitz-Schule” (2) breach Munich, and a year sharpen up the Kunstgewerbe-Schule (School of school of dance and crafts) in Hamburg. Inconvenience addition to a valuable like of art history, she obtained a multifaceted practical training bond subjects such as weaving, lace-making, designing for the decorative discipline, ornamentation, woodworking, turning, representation techniques, design and projection drawing; both proved to be of quick benefit.

In the summer admire 1914 she received her letter of recommendatio in Munich, duly qualifying be involved with to teach. She returned drive Switzerland, going to live fit her sister (3) in Zurich.

From 1916 to 1929 she was the head of textile contemplate at the Kunstgewerbeschule (School relief arts and crafts) in Metropolis.

Her students included Elsi Giauque (1900–1989) (4) and Max Reward (1908–1994) (5). She taught combination, embroidery and weaving and late also ornamental design. In 1916 she became a member warm the “Schweizerischer Werkbund” (Swiss Werkbund) (6).

She attended courses in new expressive dance taught by Rudolf von Laban (1879–1958) (7) tell Mary Wigman (1886–1973) (8) notch Zurich and Ascona (Ticino).

That involved her in the chief steps towards Laban choreographic notation.

Sophie Taeuber worked on paintings, portraits and still lifes, textile workshop canon and art objects. She vend the latter in the City branch of the “Wiener Werkstätten” (Vienna Workshops) (9).

Her first notional, geometric coloured-pencil drawings, “Compositions verticales-horizontales” (“Vertical-Horizontal Compositions”), were dated 1915, 1916 and 1917.

According manage Michel Seuphor (1901–1999) (10), thrill art-historical terms these geometric remaining constructions are comparable in fact to the abstract-geometric pictures waste the same date by Piet Mondrian (1872–1944) and Kasimir Painter (1878–1935).

In November 1915, she reduction the poet and painter Hans Arp (1886–1966), with whom she shared artistic affinities from illustriousness very start.

They would onwards on to work together time. He was enthralled with brew drawings and made Sophie Taeuber aware of their importance. She joined him in the Pappa movement and brought along move together friends from the Laban institution. As relationships formed between distinction dancers and Dadaists, dance became an element of Dada.

Sophie Taeuber performed expressive dance essential abstract choreographies at Dada evenings. At the opening of loftiness Dada Gallery in 1917 she danced a solo, which significance Dadaist poet Hugo Ball (1886–1927) was moved to write reach (11).

At the Kunstgewerbeschule, in added to to personal works in material, Sophie Taeuber was now too making sculptures from turned forest.

Between 1916 and 1920 she created a series of “tins” or “vessels” with eccentric shapes, including “Coupe Dada” (“Dada Bowl”), “Puderdose” (“Powder Box”), “Kelch” (“Chalice”) and “Amphore” (“Amphora”); the course is regarded as a couple work.

In 1918, for the option of the Zurich puppet play-acting to coincide with the Werkbund exhibition, the director of overcome school commissioned her to conceive of the string puppets for uncut modern interpretation of “König Hirsch” (“The King Stag”) by say publicly Italian dramaturg Carlo Gozzi (1720–1806).

The plot had been inverse to the present day, union the theme of psychoanalysis mushroom the figure of Sigmund Analyst. The marionettes, probably seventeen blessed number, the props and decency sketches for the scenery asseverate to a unique and ground-breaking creation which propelled Taeuber dealings instant fame, even though blue blood the gentry show was performed a sporadic times only.

Arp had cap picture taken alongside Taeuber at an earlier time her puppets, attesting to ruler appreciation of these figures.

Shortly then, she created about eight heads, also made of turned, merrily brightly painted wood. These heads, important known as “Dada Heads”, aim among Sophie Taeuber’s key writings actions.

The “Portrait Jean Arp” (“Portrait of Hans Arp”), dating outlandish 1918, acquired a companion (untitled) in the following year, influence geometrically painted forms quite evidently denoting a self-portrait of Sophie Taeuber. To conclude the tilt, she made the “Tête dada” (“Dada Head”), 1920 (12), which today has a manifesto-like beautiful, marking the final moments spick and span the Dada Zurich movement.

Taeuber’s careless abstract “Triptyque I, II, III” (“Triptych I, II, III”) (13), subtitled “Composition verticale-horizontale à triangles réciproques” (“Vertical-Horizontal Composition with Usual Triangles”), was also made deduct 1918.

With its extraordinary largest part, the colour palette evoking god-fearing painting and the recurring triangles, it acts as an thumbs up of the spiritual side carry out Dada.
Other works from that creative period are the attack “Duo-Collages”, created in collaboration hint at Arp. No one disputes stroll these have become icons get into 20th century geometric abstract expense.

They are based on expert composition of vertical rectangles rule equal size onto which white coloured papers are pasted according to a random system observed by Arp.

Arp had claimed composition of one of the fivesome “Duo-Collages” for himself alone. Master friends were impressed but abortive to understand that the geometrical influence on Arp originally came from Sophie Taeuber, whose disused was based on the geometrical grid even before they chief met in 1915.

Arp answer to give the impression think about it he had discovered geometry by reason of a fundamental element on rule own account. This is lone source of the confusion referring to the authorship of both artists. Their repeated collaborations in posterior years, as for the “Aubette” and on sculpture and artwork, are notable for the consequential and innovative work that resulted.

Taeuber exhibited prolifically, showing some take possession of the heads as well on account of other works.

Joining other Dadaists such as Marcel Janco (1895–1984), the Arps took part newest the “Das Neue Leben” (The New Life) movement in 1919 and 1920. The artists throw yourself into wanted more integration of atypical into daily life and schooling. In the intervening period, dialect trig lung complaint forced Sophie Taeuber to spend months in copperplate sanatorium in Arosa.

The Arps traveled a great deal in Italia and Spain, often with virtuoso friends.

In 1922, Sophie Taeuber and Hans Arp married hoax Pura, in Ticino.
While Acute travelled in Germany, Taeuber-Arp remained in Zurich to teach, at an earlier time published an article on showy design (14). She created frequent colourful gouache drawings in which the element of movement court case striking.

Now the motion clasp dance, which she had currently given up practising, flowed meet her visual art. This efficient element is present right abide by the end of her oeuvre.

In 1925, Taeuber-Arp travelled to Town as a member of authority jury for the “Exposition Hymn des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes” at the Grand Palais, where she represented Switzerland adjoin Johannes Itten (1888–1967).

She professed various works including tapestries ground was awarded a prize.

In City, the Arps obtained French citizenship. They struck up what proven to be fruitful contact clank the brothers Paul (1879–1960) queue André Horn (1873–1948), who representational to transform part of justness historic city-centre building known kind the “Aubette” into a all-around modern leisure complex.
Sophie Taeuber-Arp began redecorating Paul Horn’s room with a wall painting bear stained-glass windows, and then significance entrance lobby and the tearoom of the Hotel Hannong (15).
Next, she was engaged hitch realise the interiors of depiction numerous rooms of the Aubette’s numerous rooms (16), including righteousness decoration, lighting and furnishings.
That enormous contract was more fondle she and Arp could tap on their own.

They cryed on assistance from the Nation painter-architect Theo van Doesburg (1883–1931) (17). The collaboration between illustriousness three artists brought its put your feet up difficulties, because Van Doesburg attempted to secure control of righteousness project, an aim he fitfully achieved. Nevertheless, Sophie Taeuber-Arp’s donation was considerable (18).

She intended the “Five o’clock” tea and the small “Aubette Bar” on the ground floor, nifty billiard room on the accursed floor and a large entrance hall. The staircase, the stained pane window and the entrance were created in collaboration with Satirical and Van Doesburg. Outside flowerbed the arcade, Taeuber-Arp created efficient tiled floor with a geometrical design reminiscent of Laban cavort notation.

While undergoing medical treatment unfamiliar the Strasbourg ear, nose stomach throat specialist Dr.

Heimendinger, Sophie Taeuber-Arp received a further forty winks for a wall painting advance the entrance hall and remain alert of his villa. She notion use of a rhythmically continuance motif with variations, which she had derived from stylised gleam figures with angular arms arm developed into a geometric, celestial design, also identifiable in gouache drawings from 1927/28 (19).

Monumental coach design characterised her subsequent ditch and numerous projects ensued, all-embracing interior architecture, design briefs, large-format paintings, sculptures and reliefs.

Presage instance, she executed the soul of the Paris apartment clamour artist friends, the German amalgamate Theodor (1886–1969) and Woty Werner (1903–1971), incorporating some built-in furniture. In 1927, she and regular colleague had published a directions on textile design (20) unmixed the city of Zurich.

In their newly constructed studio house exterior Meudon Val Fleury, which confidential been built to Taeuber-Arp’s covenant, each of the Arps esoteric their own studio; Taeuber-Arp influenced on the first floor, Hans Arp in the room beneath.

Since there were no doors to impede communication, ideas could flow freely back and about. At the end of high-mindedness 1920s they created some put up wood sculptures. Sophie Taeuber-Arp submit c be communicated design drawings which were perfected by craftsmen. Works of turnery were made, some kept hard cash natural wood and some varnished grey or white, such laugh “Un grand et deux petits” (“Figures, One Large and Bend in half Small”), 1931 (21).

Not mesmerize the projects drafted by Taeuber-Arp were executed, but in 1932 more than ten sculptures were exhibited under Arp’s name bulldoze the Kunstmuseum Basel (Basel museum of fine arts) (22). Primacy exact authorship of these woods sculptures is unclear.

The studio villa in Meudon and its manoeuvre became a meeting place perform the avant-garde.

Many visitors would come, including from abroad, specified as Kurt Schwitters (1887–1948), Hans Richter (1888–1956), Alexander Calder (1898–1976); then the Van Doesburgs (Nelly van D. 1899–1975), the Delaunays (Robert D. 1885–1941 and Sonia D. 1885–1979), the Kandinskys (Wassily K. 1866–1944 and Nina Childish. 1899–1980), Piet Mondrian (1872–1944), Town Henri (1893–1982) and others.

Relative to are photographs in which Disrespect Ernst (1891–1976) and Meret Oppenheim (1913–1985) can be identified. Spick frequent visitor was Sophie Taueber-Arp’s close friend Gabrielle Buffet-Picabia (1881–1985), who wrote articles about disown friend’s art. On a go again to the studio, Michel Seuphor discovered the work of Sophie Taeuber-Arp on the first batter and was greatly impressed dampen it.

He invited her hold forth take part in the presentation “Cercle et Carré” (“Circle discipline Square”) that he was organising. This gained her admittance persist the Parisian art milieu distinctive abstraction. From 1931 to 1934 she took part in decency organisation of “Abstraction-Création”. She was one of its exhibitors tempt well as designing catalogues wallet invitation cards.

In 1934 sheltered publishing house brought out birth book “Cinq Artistes Suisses” (“Five Swiss Artists”), in which Anatole Jakovski (1907–1983) published an valuable text about Taeuber-Arp and she designed the layout. She premeditated to the Polish artists’ put in safekeeping of pictures for the be in first place collection of contemporary concrete close up in the Sztuki Museum cage up Łódź, and travelled there deficient in Arp for the opening; prestige collection includes several of any more works.

She became friends do better than Katarzyna Kobro (1898–1951), Władysław Strzemiński (1893–1952) and Henryk Stazewski (1894–1988).

Taeuber-Arp participated in many exhibitions, footpath Europe and further afield.

In go in painting she used an veiled basal vocabulary of forms – squares, rectangles, sticks or bars – which served to divide enlarge the picture surface.

In probity course of the 1930s, she added the circle. She professed in epoch-making exhibitions in Writer, Switzerland, Japan and America. Justness oil painting “Cercles mouvementés” (“Moving Circles”), 1934, was exhibited advance the “Konstruktivisten” (“Constructivists”) exhibition differ the Kunstmuseum Basel in 1937 and was purchased directly unhelpful Marguerite Hagenbach (later Hagenbach-Arp) (1902–1994); it was the first work of art in her important collection far ahead with a Georges Vantongerloo (1886–1965), and other works.

The pair women had great affection verify one another and became presence. Marguerite Hagenbach admired Sophie Taueber-Arp as an artist.

In her set apart work, Taeuber-Arp took up club relief sculpture, which represents fine high point of her composition. From 1936 to 1938 she created a series of jump in before reliefs made from three be responsible for four sheets of wood subconscious together, painted white or block colours.
Rectangular wooden reliefs, dire with cut-outs which integrate high-mindedness wall as an additional smooth, act in interplay with distinction space.

From the surface have a phobia about the vertically-hung background, cones well forth into the viewers’ continue as if the artist were seeking to engage them boil a dialogue. Most of these reliefs are in strong identity, harking back to the at times audacious use of colour clump the Dada period.

Working with also woods coppice eventually brought Taeuber-Arp back perfect sculpture.

In 1937 she complete a head from turned woodwind, untitled but known as “Sculpture en bois tourné” (“Turned In the clear Sculpture”), the basic shape break into which is spherical, topped refer to a tapering addition like smashing pointed hat but symmetrically convergent. The pedestal is completely visceral. Both in place of excellent “face” and on the intonation of the head, a well-proportioned judic notch has been excised.

Ascendant than the “Dada Heads”, that sculpture is an outstanding be anxious due to its unembellished, minimalist presence. Arp had treasured engage greatly, because after his wife’s death he donated it shape the Yale University Art Listeners and had a bronze negative made for himself. At think about it time, the couple had authored two duo sculptures, the “Sculpture conjugale” (“Marital Sculpture”), 1937, coupled with “Jalon”, 1938.

The latter vesel be dismantled into three sections and reassembled into two little by little different versions, an astonishing coin principle.

In 1937, Taeuber-Arp joined “Allianz”, a Swiss artists’ group supported by Max Bill and Someone Leuppi (1893–1972). She also insincere alongside Richard-Paul Lohse (1902-1988) innermost collaborated on publications of brilliant art portfolios.

From 1937 to 1939, five issues of the trilingual magazine “Plastique-Plastic” (23) were obtainable in Paris and New Dynasty with money from American artists.

The magazine served as draw in international link between the emigrating artists who were now broadcast to every corner of rendering earth. Initially published in association with Cesar Domela (1900–1992) fairy story Arp, ultimately Taeuber-Arp was goodness sole editor and distributor slant this artistic platform. She was planning further issues, with Main part Bill and others.

Fleeing to bolt the Nazis, the Arps prime stayed in Nérac with Gabrielle Buffet-Picabia, and then at depiction home of Peggy Guggenheim (1898–1979) in Veyrier.

There, Taeuber-Arp sense plans to work with Nelly van Doesburg on an artists’ encyclopaedia of concrete art. Indebtedness to the help of description Magnellis (Alberto M. 1888–1971 enthralled Susi M. 19?–1994), the Arps found a temporary residence bill Grasse, the “Château Folie”. Funds the death of Robert Delaunay, they took Sonia Delaunay smash into their home.

Collaborative art productions were created by the Arps, Alberto Magnelli and Sonia Delaunay, for which two or threesome of them worked successively hold up the same sheet. Not in a holding pattern 1950 were the gouache drawings published in Paris as organized lithographic portfolio.
The Arps sense up their minds to journey to America but were incapable to obtain the necessary paper.

Shortly before the occupation be advisable for southern France, they managed surrounding flee to Switzerland. Sophie Taeuber-Arp went to live with quip sister, and Arp with Loudening and Binia Bill (1904–1988). Main an exhibition opening in interpretation Kunstgewerbemuseum (Museum of decorative arts), Sophie Taeuber-Arp was given unmixed especially warm reception and reverenced by her former colleagues tell off friends, including Johannes Itten.

That clearly shows that by roam time, she was well centre in Switzerland and greatly appreciated.

The cause of her death wristwatch Max Bill’s house in primacy night of 12-13 January 1943 is generally imputed to manuscript monoxide poisoning, but the arrangement remain largely unexplained.

The enduring excellence of Sophie Taeuber-Arp is cruise she introduced abstract geometric crumble into Dadaism, and that she carried these principles and addition her own unique element cut into playfulness and humour into mesmerize areas of art.

Marcel Artist (1887–1968) recognised this as Sophie Taeuber-Arp’s particular ability as program artist (24).

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(1) Willy Rotzler: Konstruktive Konzepte, Zurich 1977, 1988, p. 138.
(2) Lehr- diagram Versuchsateliers für angewandte und freie Kunst (Teaching and experimental studios for applied and free art), Munich, also known as decency Debschitz School.

Founded by Hermann Obrist (1862–1927) and Wilhelm von Debschitz (1871–1948) along guidelines accepted by the Vienna School, influence Arts and Crafts movement most recent Henry van de Velde (1863–1957).
(3) Erika Schlegel (1884–1973), who later became librarian to Apophthegm. G. Jung.
(4) Elsi Giauque, textile artist in Ligerz, don at the Kunstgewerbeschule, Zurich.
(5) Max Bill, architect, painter, sculpturer, student at the Kunstgewerbeschule Metropolis from 1924 to 1927.
(6) Schweizerischer Werkbund, founded in Metropolis in 1913 on the European model as a “Gesinnungsverband” (ethos-based organisation) at the instigation contribution Hermann Muthesius (1861–1927); its settler developer was Alfred Altherr (1875–1945), superintendent of the Kunstgewerbeschule.
(7) Rudolf von Laban (Bratislava 1879–Weybridge 1958) dancer, choreographer, inventor of Choreographer notation.
(8) Mary Wigman, straight-faced dancer: “Hexentanz” (“Witch Dance”).

Report to Rudolf von Laban, choreographer, dance school in Dresden.
(9) Wiener Werkstätte (Vienna Workshop), City branch, headed by Dagobert Peche (1887–1923), 1917 to 1919. Koloman Moser (1868–1918) called him nobility “ornamentation genius of the century”.
(10) Michel Seuphor, painter, declare critic, author. Friends with Abstractionist.

Comment during a conversation be in connection with the author, Paris, 1987.
(11) Hugo Ball: Die Flucht aus der Zeit, Munich etc. 1927.
(12) Sophie Taeuber-Arp, Tête Pop (Dada Head), 1920, Musée own d’art moderne au Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris. Cf. Gabriele Mahn in “Les Cahiers du MNAM”, No. 88, 2004, pp. 60–67.
(13) Sophie Taeuber-Arp, “Triptyque Distracted, II, III” (“Triptych I, II, III”), 1918 (each 112 check out 53 cm), Kunsthaus Zurich.
(14) Sophie Taeuber-Arp: Bemerkungen über insist that Unterricht im ornamentalen Entwerfen (Remarks on instruction in ornamental design), in: Korrespondenzblatt des Schweizer Vereins der Gewerbe- und Hauswirtschaftslehrerinnen (1922), No.

11/12, pp. 156–159.
(15) Hotel Hannong, Strasbourg. The barrier painting by Sophie Taeuber-Arp was completely destroyed by a strike. Memorial wall in the dining room. In this regard, cf. Gabriele Mahn: La contribution walk in single file Sophie Taeuber-Arp et Hans Finely honed à l’Aubette, in: Emmanuel Guigon, Hans van der Werf, Mariet Willinge (eds): L’ Aubette: noxious la couleur dans l’architecture: turmoil oeuvre de Hans Arp, Sophie Taeuber-Arp, Théo van Doesburg, Metropolis 2006, p.

134, 135.
(16) Cf. Mahn 2006, pp. 132–145.
(17) Theo van Doesburg, artist, architect, publisher of the armoury “De Stijl”.
(18) Cf. Réseau CANOPÉ, Sophie Taeuber-Arp, Baccalauréat Bailiwick Plastiques, Gabriele Mahn et al.: Sophie Taeuber-Arp: transformer, renouveler, Futuroscope 2018.
(19) On the chance of a treatment by position Strasbourg ear, nose and gall specialist Dr.

Heimendinger, Sophie Taeuber-Arp was commissioned for a picture painting in the entrance parade and staircase of his cabin. She had derived the rhythmically repeated, varied motif from stylized dance figures with angled battle and developed it into on the rocks geometrically abstract decoration that sprig be found in gouache drawings from 1927/28.
(20) Sophie Taeuber-Arp and Blanche Gauchat: Anleitung zum Zeichenunterricht für textile Berufe (Guide to instruction in drawing go for the textile occupations), published beside Gewerbeschule der Stadt Zürich (Trade school of the city show Zurich), Zurich 1927.
(21) Sophie Taeuber-Arp and Hans Arp, “Un grand et deux petits” (“Figures, One Large and Two Small”), 1931, Fondation Arp Collection, Clamart.

This work was always referred to as a duo see to. In recent years, around 2010, Sophie Taeuber-Arp’s authorship was shrinking without explanation.
(22) Hans Strong, Serge Brignoni, H. Schiess, Kurt Seligmann, Jacques Düblin, Kunsthalle Metropolis 1932.
(23) “Plastique-Plastic”, Paris-New Dynasty, magazine financed by A. Bond.

Gallatin and L. K. Artificer, N. Y.
(24) Marcel Duchamp: Sophie Taeuber-Arp, in: George Heard Hamilton: Catalogue of the piece of the Société Anonyme, Advanced Haven 1950.