Otto Modersohn im Atelier | um 1890

Within the circle of the Worpswede painters, Fritz Overbeck (1869-1909) and Otto Modersohn (1865-1943) shared a unique friendship: they were close to each other not only artistically, but also humanly. Their paintings and more than 100 letters bear eloquent witness to this. Already back in their student days, Fritz Overbeck and Otto Modersohn got to know each other at the Düsseldorf Art Academy. They both shared a love of nature and a firm determination to become landscape painters. Additionally, the friends shared some traits of character and last, but not least, a special kind of humor.

They covered an important part of their artistic careers together: Together with Hans am Ende, Fritz Mackensen, Carl Vinnen, and Heinrich Vogeler they founded the Worpswede Artists’ Association, which was to bring the village near the Weyerberg the reputation of a glorious artists’ colony. When Fritz Overbeck dies of a stroke at the age of only 39, the correspondence ends abruptly. Since then, the letters have been in the archives of the Overbeck Museum in Bremen and the Otto Modersohn Museum in Fischerhude, I.e. for more than 100 years. Now, for the first time, they are being fully published and will give an insight into the life and friendship of the two artists.