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Mathildenhöhe Darmstadt

City on the Upper Rhine Plain, Germany
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A Grand Duke with an eye for art

Darmstadt is known for several cultural greats: modern architecture, impressive churches, and Jugendstil. As the centre of the Art Nouveau movement, Darmstadt functioned as a source of inspiration for many different artists. Its artist colony was founded before that time, in 1899. The buildings and artworks of the Künstlerkolonie Darmstadt (Darmstadt Artists’ Colony) on the Mathildenhöhe Darmstadt form a unique Gesamtkunstwerk (total artwork) that was created between 1900 and 1914. 


Founding the Darmstadt artists’ colony, Grand Duke Ernst Ludwig of Hesse and Rhine, wanted to pursue various goals. Creating a centre for the new modern style in architecture and boosting factories nearby by providing them with modern designs created by the artists in the colony. As the grandson of Queen Victoria, this Grand Duke had become familiar with the style of Arts and Crafts during his time in England. He saw great potential in it – a possible point of departure for the development of modern, high-quality designs. The Mathildenhöhe Darmstadt proved to be the perfect space for this plan. It developed its current form over the course of four major exhibitions between 1901 and 1914 – by the 23 members of the artists’ colony.

The main artists who lived and worked here:

Jakob Julius Scharvogel (*1854 – 1938)
Josef Emil Schneckendorf (*1865 – 1949)
Hans Christiansen (*1866 – 1945)
Joseph Maria Olbrich (*1867 – 1908)
Peter Behrens (*1868 – 1940)
Rudolf Bosselt (*1871 – 1938)
Ernst Riegel (*1871 – 1939)
Albin Müller (*1871 – 1941)
Ludwig Habich (*1872 – 1949)
Daniel Greiner (*1872 – 1949)
Johannes Vincenz Cissarz (*1873 – 1942)
Bernhard Hoetger (*1874 – 1949)
Heinrich Jobst (*1874 – 1943)
Edmund Körner (*1874 – 1940)
Friedrich Wilhelm Kleukens (*1878 – 1956)
Patriz Huber (*1878 – 1902)
Fritz Osswald (*1878 – 1966)
Paul Bürck (*1878 – 1947)
Christian Heinrich Kleukens (*1880 – 1954)
Paul Haustein (*1880 – 1944)
Theodor Wende (*1883 – 1968)
Hanns Pellar (*1886 – 1971)
Emanuel Josef Margold (*1888 – 1962)

Tourist-Office
Darmstadt Shop Luisencenter
Luisenstraße 5
64283 Darmstadt
+49 (0) 6151 124513
information@darmstadt.de
www.darmstadt-tourismus.de
Institut Mathildenhöhe Darmstadt
Olbrichweg 13/13a
64287 Darmstadt
+49 (0)6151 132778
mathildenhoehe@darmstadt.de
www.mathildenhoehe.eu