A Life of Figurative Expression
Siegfried Reinhardt was a prolific painter and teacher who spent much of his career in St. Louis, Missouri. Born in Eydkuhnen, Germany, he emigrated to the United States in 1928 and was naturalized in 1936. During World War II, he served in the U.S. Navy, where he acted as an illustrator for the Stars and Stripes newspaper aboard the USS General R. M. Blatchford.
His artistic journey was marked by a transition from an abstract phase to a wholly figurative style. He described his approach as "un-new, un-experimental" and "un-angry," focusing his subject matter on humanity, often depicted as a torrent of faces and figures within strange architectural settings. His work has been recognized by Life and Time magazines, and his pieces are held in prestigious collections, including the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the Whitney Museum of American Art.
Themes and Teaching
Reinhardt’s creative output often engaged with religious motifs and Christian themes. He collaborated with stained glass artisan Emil Frei to design windows, such as the 1960 Easter Window in the Lutheran Church of the Resurrection. His work also included figure studies, frequently using his wife, the sculptor Harriet Fleming Reinhardt, as a model. Notable works include:
Beyond the canvas, Reinhardt was a dedicated educator. He taught at the St. Louis School of Fine Arts at Washington University from 1955 through 1970. He also held residency positions at Southern Illinois University and St. Louis Community College Meramec.
