Rudolf Grossmann (1882 - 1941)

Rudolf Grossmann

Rudolf Grossmann (German: Rudolf Grossmann, or Großmann), full name Rudolf Wilhelm Walther Grossmann, was a German painter, draftsman, illustrator and graphic artist.

Born into an artistic family, Grossmann began his education in painting and printmaking at the Düsseldorf Academy before continuing his studies in Paris with Lucien Simon and Pouleroz. Among his best-known works are various portrait drawings of celebrities, notably those published in the satirical periodical Simplicissimus; he was also known for his book illustrations. Grossmann began publishing his prints in 1905, and many major publishers in Germany and France commissioned his work. He later concentrated on figurative works and urban scenes, which showed the influence of Cézanne and Pasquin.

From 1928 until Hitler's Nazi Party came to power, Grossmann taught at the Berlin Royal School of Art and was a member of the Berlin Secession and the Deutsche Kunstlerbund. In 1934, his work, like that of many of his colleagues, was stigmatized as degenerate and confiscated by the Nazi government, and he was disbarred from practicing his profession. He soon left for Freiberg im Beisgau, where he died on November 28, 1941.