A three-volume tribute to the life and works of Ruth Baumgarte.

The artistic oeuvre of Ruth Baumgarte (1923–2013) is firmly rooted in the representational tradition. Published to celebrate her significant career, this three-volume catalogue raisonné is an opulent tribute to the artist who once proclaimed that “Without the inner experience no art can arise!”

The first volume details the life of the artist, touching on the significant biographical and cultural-historical milestones of her life. This volume also examines Baumgarte’s place in art history and explains the artist’s particular relationship to Africa. In addition, this volume examines the recurring motifs of doors and windows in Baumgarte’s work, discussed alongside a study of her sketchbooks and a reflection on the filmic aspect of her work. The second volume consists of a complete illustrated list of Baumgarte’s artistic works, which include over 1,100 drawings, 700 watercolors, and 50 oil paintings. In the third volume, her illustrations are published in their entirety for the first time. These illustrations were created for a diverse variety of publications during the artist’s years living in Berlin, thereby opening up an exciting chapter on illustration in postwar art.

This publication will serve as the authoritative account of Baumgarte’s oeuvre, as well as a celebration of the artist’s remarkable life.