The Formative Years and Artistic Evolution
Born in Berlin, Germany, Conrad Westpfahl pursued his artistic education at the Unterrichtsanstalt des Kunstgewerbemuseums Berlin under Emil Orlik, later moving to the Munich Academy of Fine Arts to study with Hugo von Habermann. His training included a stay at the private Académie Ranson in Paris under Félix Vallotton. Following the end of the First World War, Westpfahl returned to Berlin, where he produced figure studies reflecting his experiences as a pilot. By 1921, his work included large figurative canvases centered on Greek mythology. His interest in abstract art was sparked in 1928 through the reading of Amédée Ozenfant’s book Art. This led to a move to Paris, where he encountered Max Ernst, Pablo Picasso, Georges Braque, and Fernand Léger. During this period, he created abstract compositions using collage techniques with waste paper.
Abstraction and the Informel Movement
Westpfahl's career was marked by significant shifts in style and location. After facing a professional ban in Germany, he emigrated to Greece, where he produced figurative works. Upon returning to Germany, he continued to work despite restrictions. In the post-war era, he became a prominent figure in non-objective art, participating in the 1950 Darmstadt Gespräch and exhibiting with the Zen 49 group. His work evolved toward a lyrical form of Informel in the late 1950s, particularly after observing Action Painting in Basel in 1959. His later years included stays at the Villa Massimo in Rome and the Villa Romana in Florence. In 1972, he began a series of small-format works known as his Albenbilder, which he continued until his death in Wetzhausen.
