Paul Michaelis (painter)

Michaelis (gesturing) in July 1960 at an art exhibition in Koritzburg

Paul Michaelis (born December 13, 1914 in Weimar ; † January 1, 2005 ibid) was a German painter , graphic artist and former rector of the Dresden University of Fine Arts.

Life

From 1930 to 1933 he completed an apprenticeship as a display designer in Weimar and from 1934 studied painting at the state colleges for architecture, fine arts and crafts with Walther Klemm and Alfred Hierl . After his military service, he worked as a freelance and as a specialist teacher at the master school for handicrafts and applied arts in Weimar. In 1952 he was appointed lecturer in painting at the Dresden University and in 1955 professor at the Dresden Academy. He was its director from 1959 to 1964. From 1973 to 1980 he trained as a full professor students such as Klaus Drechsler, Dietmar Büttner, Erika John and Gottfried Sommer. Michaelis then moved back to Weimar and drew cartoons after his retirement . Most recently he lived withdrawn in a pen and died there just under three weeks after his 90th birthday.

Career

Michaelis was considered a representative of socialist realism in an expressive form. In 1945 and 1952, mainly brush drawings and paintings of expressive expression were created. Then coal and graphite studies for paintings were added to his work. His subjects were portraits and nudes as well as agriculture, industry and soldiers.

Awards

• 1961: Art Prize of the FDGB for the painting Conversation in Spring
• 1962: Art Prize of the GDR
• 1966: Patriotic Order of Merit in bronze
• 1971: National Prize of the GDR

Work (selection)

• Joy of Life , oil on canvas, 1977

literature

• Short biography for:  Michaelis, Paul . In: Who was who in the GDR? 5th edition. Volume 2. Ch. Links, Berlin 2010, ISBN 978-3-86153-561-4 .

Web links

• Literature by and about Paul Michaelis in the catalog of the German National Library