Oscar Bluemner
(1867-1938)

Oscar Bluemner was an early modernist trained as an architect at the Academy of Fine Arts in Berlin. He immigrated to Chicago in 1892 after a reported dispute over art with Emperor William II. In 1901 Bluemner moved to New York City and won a commission for the Bronx County Courthouse. However, his partner stole this project, which ensued a lengthy court battle. Bluemner won his battle in 1912 but had turned fully to painting rather than architecture. He traveled to Europe to further his artistic studies and interrupted the harsh colors and bold outlining of Expressionism in his work. The following year Bluemner exhibited five landscapes in the Armory Show in 1913.

He was briefly known as the “vermillionaire” for the bright red hue he applied in his paintings of houses, barns and buildings. He showed work at Alfred Stieglitz’s gallery and was included in the exhibition of Modern American Painters of 1916. Bluemner exhibited regularly at the Bourgeois Gallery in NYC form 1917-23. However, his paintings did not sell very well and Bluemner fell into poor health. In 1930 he committed suicide in poverty.