The painter Annemarie Ewertsen (1909-1993) / Die Malerein Annemarie Ewertsen (1909-1993)
Expressive and atmospheric, the works of the painter from Laboe predominantly depict landscapes. Observing and experiencing nature inspire her choice of motifs, which she finds both in the vicinity of her hometown, Laboe, and in more distant places.
Born in Kiel in 1909, she received drawing lessons as a child. Her talent led her to her profession. As a technical assistant, she worked in archaeological field surveys. Alongside her profession, she studied at the Kiel School of Arts and Crafts (the predecessor of today’s Muthesius Academy of Fine Arts) from 1927 to 1947.
There, the artist Werner Lange (1888–1955) became an important and influential teacher for her. In 1930, Annemarie Ewertsen joined the German Reichsmarine as a technical draughtswoman. Even before World War II, she undertook numerous study trips within Germany, as well as to Denmark, Yugoslavia, Albania, Austria, and Italy. She was also a frequent guest in the coastal town of Ahrenshoop in Pomerania.
After her apartment in Kiel was destroyed in a bombing raid, the artist found her new home in Laboe in 1944.
For the Naval Memorial in Laboe, she worked from 1955 to 1971, designing the large wall surfaces of the Historic Hall. The Hall of Honor impresses with its depiction of the numerous ships lost during World War II using the sgraffito technique, highlighting the unimaginable human losses associated with them.
In 1957, she held her first solo exhibition in Lübeck, and in 1972/1973, the exhibition 15 Years of Artistic Work featuring her works was shown at the Schleswig-Holstein State Library in Kiel. The artist also participated in numerous exhibitions throughout Schleswig-Holstein.
Kinderbaum (Children’s Tree), a 10 x 10 meter industrial enamel artwork at the Heinrich-Heine-Gymnasium in Heikendorf, still dominates the schoolyard today with its luminosity and size.
Her love of travel accompanied her throughout her life. She captured impressions of diverse landscapes from numerous European countries in her works. People rarely appear in her paintings—if at all, they serve as staffage figures, strolling along the beach or appearing in street and circus scenes, used as elements of atmosphere or movement within the composition.
Annemarie Ewertsen’s work retained her unmistakable artistic signature over the decades. She primarily painted in watercolor or mixed media on paper, frequently adding details with a brush or pen, infusing her pieces with vibrancy and dynamism.
In 1993, the artist passed away in her hometown of Laboe.
The exhibition takes place in the following three museums:
KÜNSTLERMUSEUM HEIKENDORF–KIELER FÖRDE
MUSEUM DES KREISES PLÖN MIT NORDDEUTSCHER GLASSAMMLUNG
PROBSTEI MUSEUM SCHÖNBERG
Exhibition in KÜNSTLERMUSEUM HEIKENDORF–KIELER FÖRDE:
After 1945, the artist repeatedly traveled to Scandinavia. She initially visited Denmark but soon expanded her journeys to Norway. She artistically captured the Nordic light, vegetation, geological formations, fjords, and lakes. Her works often feature cityscapes—more specifically, street scenes—as well as harbor and coastal landscapes.
Museum visitors are invited on a painting journey through Denmark, Sweden, and Norway, with a detour to Scotland. They will also have the opportunity to discover works by the painter Werner Lange (1888–1955), who was a formative mentor to Annemarie Ewertsen during her time at the Kiel School of Arts and Crafts.
Fotos: Sönke Ehlert, Schleswig-Holsteinische Landesbibliothek
