| This week's #coloricombo features a strong female artist who chronicled the nightlife of the Weimar Republic between the wars, Her subjects often included dancers, flappers, prostitutes, and women from diverse social backgrounds.
Jeanne Mammen (1890-1976) was a German artist known for her significant contributions to modern art, Born in Berlin, her family moved to France when she was five and she studied art in Paris, Rome and Brusses.
During the First World War the family's assets were seized by the French authorities and the family split to avoid internment. Her parents moving to Amsterdam whilst Mammen move back to Berlin eventually finding work as a commercial artist.
Mammen's art primarily focused on depicting the everyday lives of women in Berlin during the 1920s and 1930s, the heydays of the Weimar Republic. She captured the spirit of the city's vibrant nightlife and explored themes of urbanisation, gender, and social dynamics.
Mammen became associated with the New Objectivity movement, which sought to present a realistic and socially critical view of contemporary society. Her style incorporated elements of Cubism and Art Deco, characterised by bold lines, flattened forms, and a sense of angularity. Mammen's use of strong contrasts and dynamic compositions added depth and intensity to her artworks.
Despite the recognition she received during her lifetime, Mammen's work fell into obscurity for many years following the Second World War. Today, Jeanne Mammen is recognised as an important figure in German modern art with her unique perspective capturing the spirit of a turbulent era and providing valuable insights into the lives of women in Berlin's interwar period.
You can read moire about Mammen here and here. There's a YouTube lecture about her life available here.
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