FREE ESSAY ON OSAKAR SCHELMMER'S BAUHAUS STAIRCASE

OSAKAR SCHELMMER'S BAUHAUS STAIRCASE

For many years, Osakar Schelmmer's Bauhaus Staircase in the Museum of Modern Art in New
York has commemorated one of the 20th century's most important art movements and
transmission of its ideas to the United States. Schlemmer painted the piece of work
in1932, the year the Bauhaus school in Germany, closed under pressure from the Nazis.
Schlemmer painted the Bauhaus Staircase as a visual memorial of the school where he had
taught previously. About a year later an architect, Philip Johnson, purchased the
painting. Now, there is a battle that involves a Berlin Court and Germany's biggest
museum, Schlemmer's inheritor's are questioning the circumstances of Johnson's purchase
of the art work and the Modem's title of it. The artist's daughter had found new
documents of the painting during an exhibition last fall in Germany where the painting
was being shown and wrote letters to the Museum of Modern Art and National Gallery,
informing that the heirs believed they still had title of the work. Schlemmer's family
believes that the purchase was bogus because there was never any real proof of purchase.
The family also believes that Johnson never even paid for the painting itself. The court
ruled in the Sclemmer's favor yet the museum packed the painting and sent it back to the
states. So now the painting is back in New York yet it was suppose to stay in Germany.
Johnson denies that he cheated Schlemmer and that he did send him money, although there
are no records at all. The family also said that Johnson sent a telegram offering 12,000
reichsmarks which is about $3,500.Since this offer was quite a large amount, Schlemmers
had the painting shipped to New York. Then in a second telegram, Johnson claim's his
assistant had made a mistake and actually only offered 1,200 reichsmarks, or about $350.
The family says there is no records the artist even received the payment at all.
I believe that the artist was taken advantage of at a time when he was in a terrible
economic situation. He was originally offered $3500, sent the painting, re-offered$350,
and never received the money at all. The painting needs to go back to the heirs.
For many years, Osakar Schelmmer's Bauhaus Staircase in the Museum of Modern Art in New
York has commemorated one of the 20th century's most important art movements and
transmission of its ideas to the United States. Schlemmer painted the piece of work
in1932, the year the Bauhaus school in Germany, closed under pressure from the Nazis.
Schlemmer painted the Bauhaus Staircase as a visual memorial of the school where he had
taught previously. About a year later an architect, Philip Johnson, purchased the
painting. Now, there is a battle that involves a Berlin Court and Germany's biggest
museum, Schlemmer's inheritor's are questioning the circumstances of Johnson's purchase
of the art work and the Modem's title of it. The artist's daughter had found new
documents of the painting during an exhibition last fall in Germany where the painting
was being shown and wrote letters to the Museum of Modern Art and National Gallery,
informing that the heirs believed they still had title of the work. Schlemmer's family
believes that the purchase was bogus because there was never any real proof of purchase.
The family also believes that Johnson never even paid for the painting itself. The court
ruled in the Sclemmer's favor yet the museum packed the painting and sent it back to the
states. So now the painting is back in New York yet it was suppose to stay in Germany.
Johnson denies that he cheated Schlemmer and that he did send him money, although there
are no records at all. The family also said that Johnson sent a telegram offering 12,000
reichsmarks which is about $3,500.Since this offer was quite a large amount, Schlemmers
had the painting shipped to New York. Then in a second telegram, Johnson claim's his
assistant had made a mistake and actually only offered 1,200 reichsmarks, or about $350.
The family says there is no records the artist even received the payment at all.
I believe that the artist was taken advantage of at a time when he was in a terrible
economic situation. He was originally offered $3500, sent the painting, re-offered$350,
and never received the money at all. The painting needs to go back to the heirs.
For many years, Osakar Schelmmer's Bauhaus Staircase in the Museum of Modern Art in New
York has commemorated one of the 20th century's most important art movements and
transmission of its ideas to the United States. Schlemmer painted the piece of work
in1932, the year the Bauhaus school in Germany, closed under pressure from the Nazis.
Schlemmer painted the Bauhaus Staircase as a visual memorial of the school where he had
taught previously. About a year later an architect, Philip Johnson, purchased the
painting. Now, there is a battle that involves a Berlin Court and Germany's biggest
museum, Schlemmer's inheritor's are questioning the circumstances of Johnson's purchase
of the art work and the Modem's title of it. The artist's daughter had found new
documents of the painting during an exhibition last fall in Germany where the painting
was being shown and wrote letters to the Museum of Modern Art and National Gallery,
informing that the heirs believed they still had title of the work. Schlemmer's family
believes that the purchase was bogus because there was never any real proof of purchase.
The family also believes that Johnson never even paid for the painting itself. The court
ruled in the Sclemmer's favor yet the museum packed the painting and sent it back to the
states. So now the painting is back in New York yet it was suppose to stay in Germany.
Johnson denies that he cheated Schlemmer and that he did send him money, although there
are no records at all. The family also said that Johnson sent a telegram offering 12,000
reichsmarks which is about $3,500.Since this offer was quite a large amount, Schlemmers
had the painting shipped to New York. Then in a second telegram, Johnson claim's his
assistant had made a mistake and actually only offered 1,200 reichsmarks, or about $350.
The family says there is no records the artist even received the payment at all.
I believe that the artist was taken advantage of at a time when he was in a terrible
economic situation. He was originally offered $3500, sent the painting, re-offered$350,
and never received the money at all. The painting needs to go back to the heirs.
For many years, Osakar Schelmmer's Bauhaus Staircase in the Museum of Modern Art in New
York has commemorated one of the 20th century's most important art movements and
transmission of its ideas to the United States. Schlemmer painted the piece of work
in1932, the year the Bauhaus school in Germany, closed under pressure from the Nazis.
Schlemmer painted the Bauhaus Staircase as a visual memorial of the school where he had
taught previously. About a year later an architect, Philip Johnson, purchased the
painting. Now, there is a battle that involves a Berlin Court and Germany's biggest
museum, Schlemmer's inheritor's are questioning the circumstances of Johnson's purchase
of the art work and the Modem's title of it. The artist's daughter had found new
documents of the painting during an exhibition last fall in Germany where the painting
was being shown and wrote letters to the Museum of Modern Art and National Gallery,
informing that the heirs believed they still had title of the work. Schlemmer's family
believes that the purchase was bogus because there was never any real proof of purchase.
The family also believes that Johnson never even paid for the painting itself. The court
ruled in the Sclemmer's favor yet the museum packed the painting and sent it back to the
states. So now the painting is back in New York yet it was suppose to stay in Germany.
Johnson denies that he cheated Schlemmer and that he did send him money, although there
are no records at all. The family also said that Johnson sent a telegram offering 12,000
reichsmarks which is about $3,500.Since this offer was quite a large amount, Schlemmers
had the painting shipped to New York. Then in a second telegram, Johnson claim's his
assistant had made a mistake and actually only offered 1,200 reichsmarks, or about $350.
The family says there is no records the artist even received the payment at all.
I believe that the artist was taken advantage of at a time when he was in a terrible
economic situation. He was originally offered $3500, sent the painting, re-offered$350,
and never received the money at all. The painting needs to go back to the heirs.