Rudolf Bauer was a pioneering figure in early abstraction, whose “non-objective” paintings helped lay the groundwork for modern art in the twentieth century. Trained at the Academy of Fine Arts in Berlin, he was associated with Der Sturm, the avant-garde gallery that nurtured artists including Kandinsky and Klee. Bauer’s work evolved from fluid, figurative drawing to compositions of pure color and form, reflecting his belief that art could communicate like music. After being released from Nazi imprisonment through the efforts of Peggy Guggenheim, he immigrated to the United States, where his work became part of the early Guggenheim collection.
