Early Life and Artistic Training

Werner Gilles was born on 29 August 1894 in Rheydt/Rheinland. His early years in Germany provided the foundation for a career defined by rigorous academic discipline. He did not merely stumble into his craft; he actively pursued it through the formal structures of the German academy system. This period of development was essential in shaping the technical precision that would characterize his later output.

His artistic calling solidified during his time at the academies of Kassel and Weimar. These institutions provided the necessary environment for him to refine his vision. Most notably, Gilles studied under Lyonel Feininger of the Bauhaus school. This connection to the Bauhaus tradition is a concrete fact of his development, linking his personal evolution to one of the most significant pedagogical movements of the era. His training was not a matter of chance but a deliberate engagement with the leading formalist influences of his time.

Life and Activity in Europe

Gilles's trajectory through Europe during the interwar period reveals a restless, migratory pattern. Following his studies, he moved to Ischia, Italy, after 1921. This southern influence was soon followed by a move to Düsseldorf in 1923. His presence in the major European centers became more pronounced between 1925 and 1930, a period during which he worked in both Berlin and Paris. These years established his presence within the most significant urban art hubs of the era.

The political climate of the 1930s forcibly interrupted this momentum. The Nazi regime labeled him a degenerate artist, a designation that effectively halted his professional output. This state-imposed suppression meant he was unable to work for the duration of that regime. His career only resumed its trajectory after the war ended.

Exhibitions and Recognition

Gilles’s presence in the post-war European art circuit was defined by consistent participation in the most significant institutional gatherings of the era. His inclusion in the 24th Venice Biennale in 1948 signaled a return to the international stage after the interruptions of the previous decade. This was not a singular event but a recurring pattern of validation; he returned to Venice for the 25th Biennale in 1950, the 29th in 1958, and the 31st in 1962. These appearances established him as a fixture within the high-stakes environment of the Venetian exhibition system.

His relevance was further cemented through his involvement with the documenta exhibitions in Kassel. He was part of the first documenta in 1955, the second in 1959, and the third in 1964. These exhibitions placed his work alongside the central developments of mid-century modernism. His reach extended to major German institutions, including the Kölnischer Kunstverein in Köln and the Landesmuseum Bonn. The institutional recognition of his work continued long after his death, with retrospective attention from the Städtisches Museum in Mülheim an der Ruhr and the Landesmuseum in Bonn.

• Arthur Rimbaud gewidmet (1933 to 1935)
• Orpheus, Akvarellsyklus (1947 to 1949)
• Akvareller til Tibetanischen Totenbuch (1950)

Later Years and Death

The final chapter of Gilles's life was defined by a seasonal rhythm between Germany and Italy. From 1951 onward, he maintained a split existence, moving to München during the winter months. He spent his summers in Ischia, Italy, a pattern that dictated his movements and likely influenced his late-period output. This geographic duality provided a consistent structure to his final decade.

His presence in the art world remained active until his death. He passed away in Essen on 23 June 1961. This end marked the conclusion of a career that had survived the restrictions of the Nazi regime and emerged into the post-war era of major international exhibitions. His death in 1961 closed a period of significant engagement with the European avant-garde scene.