Paula Modersohn-Becker, pioneer of the modernity in Germany

Paula Modersohn-Becker is today the best-known painter of the Worpswede artists’ colony. Raised in Bremen, she received her training as a painter in Berlin and Worpswede. There she developed her painting style, which was unusual for the time.

In 1899 Paula exhibited together with the other Worpswede painters at the Kunsthalle Bremen. After a devastating critique, she removed her paintings and travelled to Paris. There she discovered the works of Cezanne, the Louvre and modern painting at the World’s Fair.

Even after her marriage to the painter Otto Modersohn, she repeatedly travelled to Paris to study – an unusual behaviour for her time. What she saw in Paris strongly influenced her. She went into a creative frenzy. Only financial worries made her return to Worpswede to her husband.

Her work became known and collected mainly after her death in 1907. In the 1920s, Ludwig Roselius had the Paula-Becker-Modersohn-Haus in Bremen built for his collection. Today, Paula is considered a pioneer of modernism in Germany.

Guided tour in the footsteps of the painter in Worpswede: Our search for traces leads us to the Worpswede Zion Church and Paula’s grave, past the Barkenhoff and other significant places and ends with a visit to the museum at the Modersohn House.

In addition, we can take a guided tour of the Paula-Becker-Modersohn-Haus in Bremen’s Böttcherstraße.

Duration of the guided tour in Worpswede: two and a half hours

Good to know: As we walk along unpaved paths and through the forest, sturdy shoes are recommended.

Group size and prices

tour in English

• flat rate price for 20 persons max, 170 euro, plus museum entrance fee of 5 euro per person.