Image series 41 / 2025: Irma Stern
Expressive, Colourful Portraits
5 October 2025
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By: Bettina Pfleging
In South Africa, German-South African artist Irma Stern is considered one of the most important representatives of modernism. In Europe, she fell into obscurity after the Second World War. Irma Stern cultivates a moderately expressive painting style. Her formal language is not very angular, her colours are intense and not randomly applied, and her subjects are landscapes, still lifes and people, especially black people.
The exhibition pays tribute to the artist Irma Stern on the one hand and highlights the ambivalence of her work on the other, for example in the juxtaposition of ‘black’ and ‘white’ portrait series.
„Irma Stern. A Modern Artist between Berlin and Cape Town“
13 July to 2 November 2025, Brücke-Museum, Berlin
Irma Stern. The Eternal Child, Ausschnitt, 1916, oil on board, 72,5 × 42 cm, Stellenbosch; User uploads, prometheus – Das verteilte digitale Bildarchiv für Forschung & Lehre
Irma Stern. White Lilies, Ausschnitt, 1936, Öl auf Leinwand; User uploads, prometheus – Das verteilte digitale Bildarchiv für Forschung & Lehre
Irma Stern. Lelies, Ausschnitt, Ölkreide, 26 × 35 cm, Südafrika; Sammlung – Bildende Kunst aus Afrika (Schenkung Dr. Helke Kammerer-Grothaus), Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, Seminar für Kunst und Medien
Irma Stern. Arab in Black, Ausschnitt, 1939, Öl auf Leinwand; User uploads, prometheus – Das verteilte digitale Bildarchiv für Forschung & Lehre
Irma Stern. Sansibar Lady, Ausschnitt, 1941; User uploads, prometheus – Das verteilte digitale Bildarchiv für Forschung & Lehre
Irma Stern. Still Life with African Woman, Detail, Ausschnitt, 1945, 79 × 79 cm; User uploads, prometheus – Das verteilte digitale Bildarchiv für Forschung & Lehre
Irma Stern. Zansibar Boy, Ausschnitt, 1945, Öl auf Leinwand, Stellenbosch, Paris; User uploads, prometheus – Das verteilte digitale Bildarchiv für Forschung & Lehre
Irma Stern. Maid in Uniform, Ausschnitt, 1955, Öl auf Leinwand, Kapstadt; User uploads, prometheus – Das verteilte digitale Bildarchiv für Forschung & Lehre
