Victor Tuxhorn Biography

Victor Tuxhorn

German

1892-1964

Biography

Victor Tuxhorn was born in Bielefeld, Westphalia, Germany on March 26, 1892 to lathe operator Adolf and Emma Tuxford. Victor showed artistic tendencies so, after attending secondary school, he began an apprenticeship in the Milberg painter's workshop and with Franz Pauly. Between 1909 to 1914 he studied painting and graphics with Ludwig Godewols and Karl Muggly at the crafts and applied arts school in Bielefeld. His artist brother Georg, born on May 8, 1903 followed his brother's education, also returning to Bielefeld in 1928. The brothers are often confused for each other in various publications.

In November 1909 Victor founded, together with Peter August Böckstiegel, Ernst Sagewka, Erich Lossie and Heinz Lewerenz the artist group “Rote Erde”, which existed until 1933. Before studying at the Dresden Art Academy, he spent the First World War on the Western Front in Alsace. Tuxhorn was lucky in that he was assigned to the artistic designs for various army newspapers. During these years he produced a large number of graphics with caricatures from the life of a soldier, city views of Alsace, and portraits of friendly soldiers which were created for publications such as “Aus Sundgau und Wasgenland” and “Vogesenwacht”. From 1921 to 1923 Tuxhorn studied with Otto Gußmann, Oskar Kokoschka and Robert Sterl at the Dresden Art Academy, where he eventually became a master student of Richard Dreher. He then worked as a freelance artist in Bielefeld. Study visits led him to the North Sea and the Halligen Islands, the Netherlands, Sicily and Switzerland.

Tuxhorn evolved from Art Nouveau to a moderate Expressionist. His works were widely distributed in Westphalia. Today Tuxhorn's work is also assigned to the "Westphalian Expressionism" style.

Tuxhorn's work was exhibited in an exhibition of The Hölzel Circle up to 1914 – an exhibition at the Kunsthalle Bielefeld in 1974—initiated what is now known as the Bunte Collection. Now, decades later, the Hermann-Josef Bunte Collection links Westphalia with southern Germany. At the heart of the collection—which spans the arc from Westphalian Expressionism to the Stuttgart avant-garde around Adolf Hölzel.

Victor Tuxford died in his hometown of Beilefeld on June 28, 1964; his brother Georg died on October 8, 1941 also in Beilefeld.