From the 19th century to New Objectivity
Audio guide
Always at the Lenbachhaus

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The Lenbachhaus has the world’s largest collection of works by the Blue Rider artists, who were leading pioneers of classic modernism. Founded by Wassily Kandinsky, Franz Marc, Gabriele Münter, Alexej von Jawlensky, and Marianne von Werefkin, the group developed an increasingly abstract visual language; unified by the artists' shared belief in a "spiritual" dimension of art, it accommodated diverse formal modes of expression. A tour of the galleries sheds light on the evolution of the artists' work from the nascent modernism of Kandinsky's and Münter's early oil studies to the landscapes from Murnau and iconic paintings in luminous colors such as Franz Marc's "Blue Horse I" and "The Tiger."
The Blue Rider mounted its first exhibition at Galerie Thannhauser, Munich, in the winter of 1911. The show also included works by newcomers to the circle of friends such as August Macke and Heinrich Campendonk. A second exhibition, held at Galerie Goltz, Munich, in the spring of 1912, was larger still, with contributions by Paul Klee, Alfred Kubin, and others. Ample selections of works by all these artists can be seen in our presentation of art from our Blue Rider collection.
One gallery is dedicated to Kandinsky's famous large paintings. The gallery with works by Paul Klee was redesigned after the conclusion of an amicable settlement with the heirs of the former owners of the painting "Swamp Legend" (1919). The adjoining cabinet displays a survey of the different periods in Alexej von Jawlensky's oeuvre; among the highlights on view here are the rarely-seen paintings "The Hunchback" and "Seated Nude."
Other galleries combine examples of Art Nouveau and selections from Kandinsky's early oeuvre such as "Couple Riding" with works by Gabriele Münter, August Macke, Franz Marc, and Heinrich and Ada Campendonk. August Macke's lively small-format "Self-Portrait," acquired by the museum in 2017, makes its public debut. Iconic examples of the mature oeuvres of Franz Marc, including "Blue Horse" and "The Tiger," and August Macke, including "Milliner's Shop" and "Turkish Café," are gathered in another cabinet.
A sampling of works from the museum’s post-Expressionism and New Objectivity collections is on display in the large skylight hall. Some of these treasures created by German and international artists between 1918 and the 1940s had not been on view in many years. They exemplarily reflect the period’s unusually wide range of visual idioms and thematic concerns.
PLEASE NOTE:
The blue rider is currently installed in a new way and will be opened again as of March 23, 2021.
Alexej von Jawlensky
Nacht in St. Prex, 1916
Paul Klee
Kakteen, um 1912
Paul Klee
Waldbeere, 1921, 92
Gabriele Münter
Bayerische Landschaft mit Einödhof, um 1910
Wassily Kandinsky
Schwabing – Nikolaiplatz, Winter 1901/1902
Wassily Kandinsky
Apokalyptische Reiter I, 1911
Gabriele Münter
Grabkreuze in Kochel, 1909
Wassily Kandinsky
Improvisation 6 (Afrikanisches), 1909
Wassily Kandinsky
Studie für "Winter II", Winter 1910/1911
Franz Marc
Tiger, 1912
August Macke
Promenade, 1913
Robert Delaunay
Fenêtres sur la ville, 1914
Franz Marc
Der Panther, 1908
Otto Freundlich
Ein Baum, 1927
Carl Strathmann
Der Paradiesbaum mit Schlange, um 1900
Franz Marc
Weidende Pferde I, 1910
Franz Marc
Zwei Pferde, 1908/09
Alexej von Jawlensky
Bildnis des Tänzers Alexander Sacharoff, 1909
August Macke
Porträt Elisabeth Macke, 1910
Paul Klee
Rosengarten, 1920, 44
Wassily Kandinsky
Kallmünz – Gabriele Münter beim Malen II, Sommer 1903
Wassily Kandinsky
Murnau – Blick über den Staffelsee, Sommer 1908
Wassily Kandinsky
Berg, 1909
Wassily Kandinsky
Entwurf 3 zu "Komposition VII", November 1913
Wassily Kandinsky
Romantische Landschaft, 1911
Wassily Kandinsky
Skizze für 'Sonntag (Altrussisch)', 1904
Erma Bossi
Interieur mit Lampe, 1909
Paul Klee
Stadt R, 1919, 205
Wassily Kandinsky
Parties diverses, 1940
Paul Klee
Früchte auf Rot, 1930, 263 (AE 3)
Karl Caspar
Ostern / Auferstehung, 1926
Alexej von Jawlensky
Spanierin, 1913
Gabriele Münter
Blick aufs Gebirge, 1934
Franz Marc
Kühe, rot, grün, gelb, 1911
Franz Marc
Reh im Walde II, 1912
August Macke
Porträt mit Äpfeln, 1909
August Macke
Hutladen, 1913
Alexej von Jawlensky
Meditation 'Das Gebet', 1922
Heinrich Campendonk
Bild mit Kuh, um 1920
Paul Klee
Botanisches Theater, 1934, 219 (U19)
Paul Klee
Rausch, 1939, 341 (Y 1)
Robert Delaunay
Formes circulaires, lune no. 1, 1913
Alexander Kanoldt
Eiserne Brücke, 1911
Wassily Kandinsky
Kallmünz – Gabriele Münter beim Malen I, Sommer 1903
Wassily Kandinsky
Skizze für Achtyrka – Herbst, 1901
Wassily Kandinsky
Holland – Strandkörbe, Mai/Juni 1904
Wassily Kandinsky
Reitendes Paar, 1906 - 1907
Wassily Kandinsky
Kochel – Friedhof und Pfarrhaus, 1909
Wassily Kandinsky
Studie zu "Improvisation Nr. 2 (Trauermarsch)", 1909
Wassily Kandinsky
Die Kuh, 1910
Wassily Kandinsky
Improvisation 26 (Rudern), 1912
Wassily Kandinsky
Improvisation 18 (mit Grabstein), 1911
Wassily Kandinsky
Improvisation 21 a, 1911
Wassily Kandinsky
St. Georg III, 1911
Wassily Kandinsky
Heiliger Wladimir, 01.06.11
Gabriele Münter
Äpfel und Narzissen, 1909
Gabriele Münter
Herbstlich, 1910
Alexej von Jawlensky
Stillleben mit Früchten, um 1910
Paul Klee
Erzengel, 1938, 82 (G 2)
Paul Klee
Der wilde Mann, 1922, 43
Paul Klee
Klippen am Meer, 1931, 154 (R 14)
Erma Bossi
Zirkus, 1909
Wassily Kandinsky
Das Bunte Leben, 1907
Alexej von Jawlensky
Sitzender weiblicher Akt, um 1910
Wladimir Burljuk
Die Tänzerin, um 1910
Wassily Kandinsky
Im Walde, 1904
Alexej von Jawlensky
Der Bucklige, 1905
Alexej von Jawlensky
Sommerabend in Murnau, 1908/09
Marianne von Werefkin
Selbstbildnis I, um 1910
Franz Marc
Reh im Klostergarten, 1912
Franz Marc
Blaues Pferd I, 1911
August Macke
Türkisches Café, 1914
August Macke
Zoologischer Garten I, 1912
August Macke
Bildnis Bernhard Koehler, 1910
Alexej von Jawlensky
Meditation auf Goldgrund, 1936
Alexej von Jawlensky
Mystischer Kopf: Meditation, 1918
Franz Marc
Rehe im Schnee II, 1911
Paul Klee
Zerstörter Ort, 1920, 215
Alexej von Jawlensky
Liebe, 1925
Paul Klee
Sumpflegende, 1919
Franz Marc
Vögel, 1914
Wassily Kandinsky
Roter Fleck II, 1921
August Macke
Studie zu einem Selbstporträt, 1907
Wassily Kandinsky
Kochel – Wasserfall I, um 1900
Wassily Kandinsky
München – Die Isar, 1901
Wassily Kandinsky
München – Englischer Garten, Anfang September 1901
Wassily Kandinsky
Kochel – Schlehdorf, Sommer 1902
Wassily Kandinsky
Kallmünz – Naturstudie zur gelben Postkutsche, Sommer 1903
Wassily Kandinsky
Landschaft mit gelbem Feld, 1905
Wassily Kandinsky
Rapallo – Bucht, Anfang 1906
Wassily Kandinsky
Murnau – Blick aus dem Fenster des Griesbräu, 1908
Wassily Kandinsky
Murnau – Grüngasse, 1909
Wassily Kandinsky
Kochel – Gerade Straße, 1909
Wassily Kandinsky
Murnau – Berglandschaft mit Kirche, Sommer 1910
Wassily Kandinsky
Eisenbahn bei Murnau, 1909
Wassily Kandinsky
Allerheiligen II, 1911
Wassily Kandinsky
Entwurf 2 zu Komposition VII, 1913
Wassily Kandinsky
Allerheiligen I, Juli/August 1911
Wassily Kandinsky
Impression III (Konzert), 1911
Wassily Kandinsky
Improvisation 19, 1911
Wassily Kandinsky
Improvisation 19 a, 1911
Wassily Kandinsky
Impression IV (Gendarme), 1911
Wassily Kandinsky
Heiliger Georg I, 1911
Wassily Kandinsky
St. Georg II, vermutlich Sommer 1911
Wassily Kandinsky
Große Auferstehung, Frühsommer 1911
Wassily Kandinsky
Bergige Landschaft mit See, um 1902
Gabriele Münter
Kandinsky beim Landschaftsmalen, 1903
Gabriele Münter
Kallmünz, 1903
Gabriele Münter
Jawlensky und Werefkin, 1908/09
Alexej von Jawlensky
Murnauer Landschaft, 1909
Marianne von Werefkin
Wäscherinnen, um 1909
Franz Marc
Bildnis Henri Rousseau, 1911
Gabriele Münter
Votivbild, um 1908/09
Gabriele Münter
Das Russen-Haus, 1931
Franz von Stuck
Herbstabend mit Reiter, 1893
Pierre Girieud
Bildnis der Malerin Emilie Charmy, 1908
Franz von Stuck
Verwundeter Kentaur