Background
He was born as a son of merchants.
He was born as a son of merchants.
After a classical education, he entered the school of Decorative Arts in Düsseldorf. In 1919 he began painting again after having been interrupted by the First World War. He was influenced by German expressionism and also by the first expressions of abstract art
The discovery of the Isenheim Altarpiece of Matthias Grünewald, which was temporarily exhibited at the Munich Pinacothek, was a revelation to him and he started his first attempts in middle-ages techniques: a well performed drawing on a priming of chalk or plaster with a mixture of oil and yolk of egg as paint.
In 1920 he was appointed decorator at the theatre of Düsseldorf. During that time he journeyed many times across France.
In 1929 he went to Spain. From 1931 to 1970 he lived with his family in Düsseldorf.
