biography of Rudolf BAUER (1889-1953)

Birth place: Lindenwald, Germany

Death place: NYC

Profession: Abstract painter

Exhibited: Der Sturm, 1915-20s

Comments: He was the lover of Hilla Rebay (see entry), founder of the Museum of Non-Objective Painting (later the Guggenheim Mus.). It was through her acquisitions of his work that he opened his gallery, Das Geistreich," in Berlin in 1930, but his mismanagement forced its closure in 1932. Neither a Jew nor a Nazi, he neverthless proposed himself as a candidate for the Ministry of Culture. Instead, he was arrested for his "degenerate art" in 1938. Through Rebay, he got Guggenheim to secure his immigration to NYC in 1939. However, he never painted again, was estranged from Rebay, and died in obscurity.

Sources: American Abstract Art, 176 "