Ida Kerkovius

Ida Kerkovius (1879–1970) was a key figure of German modernism, trained under Adolf Hölzel and at the Bauhaus. Her work combines figuration with sensuous abstraction. This catalogue raisonné highlights her development and lasting impact as a pioneering female artist. Text in English and German. The artist Ida Kerkovius (1879–1970) is today regarded as a central figure of German modernism, navigating between Impressionism, Expressionism, and abstraction. She studied under Adolf Hölzel, considered one of the pioneers of abstract painting in Germany, and studied at the Bauhaus in Weimar, where Paul Klee and Johannes Itten in particular influenced her work. From the 1930s, she continued her artistic evolution in Stuttgart and, following the rupture caused by National Socialism, established herself there as one of the foremost female German artists. Although staunchly committed to figurative representation, abstraction becomes a sensuous experience in her impressive paintings—a feature that makes her work unique to this day. This comprehensive catalogue raisonné provides a first overview of the development and creative force of Ida Kerkovius, one of the few women who were able to exert a lasting impact on the male-dominated art establishment of the time. Text in English and German.

Uwe Jourdan works for Nagel Auctions in Stuttgart, Germany, where he began as an expert and auctioneer, later becoming CEO and a shareholder. He is the author of several art publications. He has been collecting material for Ida Kerkovius’s catalogue raisonné for three decades.