Wilhelm Schreuer was an ingenious German figure painter who exhibited extensively in Düsseldorf and Cologne.

Born in Wesel, Germany, his early tuition was undertaken by his father, a baker, but also a keen amateur artist. As a result, he developed an aptitude for drawing from a young age and was soon admitted into the renowned Düsseldorf Art Academy. Here, he trained under Heinrich Lauenstein, Hugo Crola and, later, Johann Peter Theodor Janssen as a master student.

As a progressive, many of his works utilised an unusual technique involving diluting colours onto damp paper. This made it virtually impossible to correct errors but gave them an interesting sheen, almost akin to glass. The results were captivating.

During WWI, he served as a war artist and produced some of his most striking works. His portrayals of soldiers are far from propaganda and, instead, convey the realities of fearful young men faced with the horrors of combat. Regardless of the subject, he could always capture tension. In many of these depictions, we’re left to wonder what happened next, as if the image could somehow become animated and play out in front of us.

It appears he had a certain affinity with horses as he often painted them. However, unlike many of his peers, rather than capture them standing in a docile fashion, he preferred to describe every aching sinew, often with the horse working or galloping at full tilt. He spent time observing the Prussian Calvary and also the Csikós horsemen of Hungary’s Puszta.

He represented in numerous public collections including at the Westphalian State Museum of Art, Wallraf-Richartz-Museum, and Stadtmuseum Landeshauptstadt Düsseldorf.

Exhibited

Extensively in Düsseldorf and Cologne.

Public Collections

Westphalian State Museum of Art and Cultural History, Wallraf-Richartz-Museum, Stadtmuseum Landeshauptstadt Düsseldorf. 

Timeline

1866

Born in Wesel, Germany. His father, Johann Heinrich Schreuer, was a master baker.

1872

Moved to Cologne with his family.

1884

Enrolled at the Düsseldorf Art Academy where he trained under Heinrich Lauenstein and Hugo Crola.

1886-1890

Studied under Johann Peter Theodor Janssen as a master student.

1896

Became a member of the ‘Malkasten’, a progressive artists’ association. 

Acquired the patronage of art dealer, Eduard Schulte.

1899

Married Maria Pauly, the daughter of art dealer, Leo Pauly. 

C.1914-c.1918

Served as a war painter in France and Belgium.

Exhibited frequently in Düsseldorf and Cologne.

1933

Died in Düsseldorf, Germany.