Hubert Schöllgen (1897-1978) - Untitled

Hubert Schöllgen (* February 23, 1897 in Düsseldorf; † 1978 in Wuppertal-Elberfeld) was a German painter and grafitto technician. Schöllgen initially pursued studies at the AK Düsseldorf. Later he moved to Berlin to study with Emil Orlik and Thorn-Prikker. Afterwards he worked mainly as a painter and graphic artist in Düsseldorf and Essen. Because he did not depend on exhibitions due to his financial situation, he often chose his motifs in a idiosyncratic manner. Numerous books used Schöllgen’s graphically designed drawings, vignettes, and woodcuts for illustrations. The archive of the artists’ association Malkasten in Düsseldorf holds some of his works. Most of his work is considered Expressionist. Woodcuts were also very popular among the pioneers (Die Brücke, Die Blaue Reiter) of this German movement.

The title of the work is unknown to me. It probably appears lower left; unfortunately I cannot decipher it. It is hand-signed by the artist lower right. The woodcut most likely dates from the period between 1918 and 1939 in the interwar period. The work is in excellent condition, with no signs of wear or discoloration. On the left side is a very small crease in the 'white area'.

Expressionism (from Latin: expressio, 'to express') is a modernist movement in European art from the early twentieth century, roughly from 1905 to 1940. In expressionism the artist tries to express his feelings or experiences to the observer, through a certain distortion of reality. Expressionism as a style is particularly known in poetry and painting, but it also occurs in music, literature, architecture, theatre, and film.

Expressionism places the personal, unconscious reaction of the artist to his surroundings at the center. It thus sets itself apart from impressionism, which prioritized the depiction of the sensorially experienced reality. In expressionism, the link with reality blurs, sometimes it disappears altogether. This gives rise to new forms that previously would have been unimaginable. The two main principles are: 'there are no laws' and 'laws may not be imposed by anyone.' In painting, the term 'expressionistic' has, by now, been extended to any painting that expresses an expressionist mood, even if it does not originate from the early twentieth century.