Exhibition commemorates almost forgotten Darmstadt artist
The Hessian State Museum in Darmstadt is dedicating its first solo exhibition to the artist Hedwig Kruse. Titled "Hedwig Kruse – A Printmaker Lives Her Dream," the exhibition will showcase works by the Frankfurt-born artist, who later lived and worked in Darmstadt, from June 18 to September 27, 2026.
The exhibition presents expressive works on paper, color woodcuts, and collages from the artist's extensive graphic estate. The focus is on her autobiographical imagery, which explores themes such as love, motherhood, longing, and personal experiences.
Between mythology, religion and fantasy
Hedwig Kruse's works combine diverse cultural and religious influences. Ancient mythology, Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, and Islam converge in her art. Her paintings depict mystical figures, fantastical creatures, and fairytale scenes, characterized by vibrant colors and precise lines.
The artist was born in Frankfurt am Main in 1895 and studied at the School of Applied Arts in Munich. As early as 1917, she developed a distinctive artistic style and was considered a promising printmaker.
Career interrupted by National Socialism
Her career was abruptly interrupted in 1935 by a Nazi ban on exhibiting her work. Although she continued to work as an artist after the Second World War, she was never able to recapture her early success.
In 1939, she married the Darmstadt sculptor Hermann Geibel and lived in Darmstadt from then on. Throughout her life, she signed her works with her maiden name, "Kruse." However, she was largely denied comprehensive art historical recognition.
Graphic estate in the State Museum
Today, the entire graphic estate of Hedwig Kruse is housed in the Hessian State Museum in Darmstadt. This was made possible by a donation from her son, Stephan Heise.
The oeuvre includes elaborately designed glossy paper collages, but above all color woodcuts, which are characterized by delicately cut printing blocks and exceptional printing precision.
With this exhibition, the Hessian State Museum Darmstadt commemorates an artist whose work was long overlooked and is now being made accessible to a wider public.
(DARMSTADT – RED/HLMD)
Featured image: Hedwig Kruse, illustration sheet 1 for Richard Dehmel's "Das Zettelevoiche", 1918, woodcut on Japanese paper, colored, photo: L. Breidert, HLMD © Hessisches Landesmuseum Darmstadt
