Paul Thesing

de Susanne Thesing

Paul Thesing (1882-1954) is a painter and political caricaturist who has yet to be discovered by classical modernists. The first comprehensive presentation of the life and work of this artist of dual talents closes a gap in the history of art. Richly illustrated, the monograph contains a catalog of his paintings and presents examples of his graphic work. From 1909-1914, Thesing belonged to the circle of German artists at the Café du Dôme in Paris, developed his own expressive style with an unmistakable signature in France and Spain, and after the First World War, joined the group of artists "Das Junge Rheinland", in Düsseldorf. He became a member and president of the Darmstadt Secession and in 1924 was one of the first to be honored with the Georg Büchner Prize. In his savage caricatures Thesing ridiculed the National Socialists from an early stage. In 1937, he was one of those artists branded as "degenerate". After 1945, Thesing had a considerable influence in the cultural reconstruction of Darmstadt.