Gabriele Münter

Gabriele Münter was a German painter and one of the leading figures of the Expressionist movement. Born in Berlin, she studied art at the Women's School of Arts and Crafts in Düsseldorf and later at the Phalanx School in Munich, where she met Wassily Kandinsky, Franz Marc, and other artists who would become her lifelong friends and collaborators. Münter's early work was influenced by Post-Impressionism and the Art Nouveau style, but her style evolved over time to incorporate elements of Fauvism and Expressionism.

In 1908, Münter became Kandinsky's partner and together they founded the Neue Künstlervereinigung München (New Artists' Association of Munich), a group that sought to challenge the academic conventions of art in Germany at the time. Münter's work was often featured in the group's exhibitions, and she played a key role in organizing their shows.

Münter and Kandinsky's relationship ended in 1914, but she continued to paint and exhibit her work throughout her life. She was particularly interested in landscapes and still lifes, and her paintings often featured bright, bold colors and simplified forms. Münter was also an avid collector of folk art and other objects, which she used as inspiration for her own work.

In addition to her artistic pursuits, Münter was an advocate for women's rights and was actively involved in the women's movement in Germany. She lived through both World War I and World War II, and her work was banned by the Nazis as "degenerate" during their regime. Despite these challenges, Münter continued to create and exhibit her work until her death in 1962. Today, she is remembered as one of the most important female artists of the early 20th century in Germany.