Background

Ende was born in Trier, Germany, on December 31, 1864. He was the son of Alwin am Ende, a pastor.

Education

Hans am Ende attended Schulpforta [Landesschule Pforta] near Bad Kösen. He then studied with Wilhelm von Diez at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts (the present-day Academy of Fine Arts) in Munich. During a train journey, he, by chance, came to know Fritz Mackensen, who invited him to Worpswede. The two later shared a military service. He then studied at the Academy of Fine Arts, Karlsruhe, where he studied with Ferdinand Keller.

Career

Ende co-founded the artist's colony in Worpswede with Otto Modersohn, Fritz Overbeck, and Heinrich Vogeler in 1889. In 1894, Heinrich Vogeler, a well-known German painter, designer, and architect, joined the artists' colony. The group exhibited in the Kunsthalle Bremen and at the Glaspalast in Munich in 1895; the latter brought them national recognition.

The artist's oil paintings were marked by the nuances of cloud and sky colours above the Worpswede landscape. Ende's excellent etchings became an inspiring example for his artist friends, who learned the technique from him.

Rainer Maria Rilke, a Bohemian-Austrian poet and novelist, came to Worpswede in 1900; there he befriended the artist's colony, eventually writing essays about each of its members. For his 1903 monograph "Worpswede", Rilke wrote essays on Fritz Mackensen, Otto Modersohn, Fritz Overbeck, Hans am Ende and Heinrich Vogeler.

He volunteered for the army at the outbreak of the First World War, serving in a reserve officer. During his service on the Western Front, many of his ink sketches were made. He was severely wounded near Mesen in 1918. He was taken to the hospital in Stettin, where he died.

Achievements

• 

  Hans am Ende made a significant contribution to the world of art. His artworks have been featured in major exhibitions at the State Hermitage Museum and the Kunsthalle zu Kiel, as well as Christian-Albrechts University.
  
  Hans-am-Ende-Weg in Worpswede, Hans-am-Ende-Weg in Bremen-Oberneuland, and Hans-Am-Ende-Straße in Osterholz-Scharmbeck were named after him.
  
  Hans am Ende's works have been offered at auction multiple times, with realized prices ranging from $147 USD to $28,907 USD. The current record price for the artist at auction is $28,907 USD for "Segelfahrt", which was sold at Grisebach in 2013.
  
  Ende’s paintings can be found in the collections of the Art Institute of Chicago and the Clark Art Institute in Williamstown, Massachusetts, among others.

Works

More photos

• painting

  • A Summer Day in Worpswede

  • Spring in Worpswede

  • Weyerberg under the clouds

  • A Young Girl

  • Spring Day

  • Barque on the River Hamme

  • Torfkähne auf der Hamme

  • Birken am Moorgraben

  • Maedchen auf der wiese

  • Winter in Worpswede

  • Resting peasants

  • Bergige Landschaft

  • Lärche im Schnee

  • Torfstich

  • Abendliche Landschaft mit Mondsichel

  • Mondaufgang

  • Weizenfeld am Morgen

  • Am Weyerberg, Worpswede

  • Abendstimmung

  • Bildnis eines Moorbauern

  • Mädchenbildnis

  • Kirche in Bispingen

  • Worpsweder Kinderkopf

  • Worpsweder Landschaft mit Mühle

  • Feierabend

  • Landscape with Peasant Girls

  • Torfboot auf der Hamme

  • Birch Tree

  • Herbstliche Moorlandschaft mit Birken und Bauerngehöft

• sculpture

  • Büste "Worpsweder Kind"

Personality

Quotes from others about the person

• Rainer Maria Rilke: "Music, yes this is something, with which you can best compare it. Music of cornets and harps... the colours of his [Hans am Ende] landscapes give an impression, as if they were waiting for the wink of an invisible stick."

Connections

Hans am Ende married Magda Willatzen. The young Paula Becker wrote: "... the tenderness of love between them, lights up their entire house with pink light. And whosoever wants to breath in this atmosphere, must also become tender and soft... ." However, the couple remained childless.

Father:

Alwin am Ende

Spouse:

Magda Willatzen

References

• Worpswede: Fritz Mackensen, Otto Modersohn, Fritz Overbeck,Hans am Ende, Heinreich Vogeler Book by Rainer Maria Rilke. German edition.
  2007