Joseph Lang, a pupil of Carl Jung, who introduced Hesse to the gnostic wisdom of ancient religions and advised him to paint. His physician sent him to a sanatorium where he met psychologist Dr. By 1917 the war, family problems and inner conflicts had taken a toll on Hesse. His writings were rejected in Germany, and his royalties ceased, yet Hesse continued working for peace and published anti-war documents under the pseudonym Emil Sinclair. In 1904 Hesse’s first novel, Peter Camenzind was published.ĭuring World War I, Hesse was accused of being a traitor by the German press because of his pacifist views. His first edition of poems,Romantic Songs was published that year. In 1899, at age 22, Hesse moved to Basel, Switzerland. Hesse claimed, “From my thirteenth birthday on, it was clear that I wanted to be a poet or nothing at all.” In 1895 Hesse left Calw and took a position as an apprentice bookseller, bringing him in contact with the writings of Nietzsche and Goethe. Hermann Hesse Hesse was born Jin the small southern German town of Calw, into a very colorful and culturally sophisticated family. His watercolors reveal an Expressionist fervor, a Fauvist palette, and a style that often touched base with Cubism. Settling in the village of Montagnola in the Italian-speaking canton of Ticino in southern Switzerland, Hesse was captivated by the landscape. Hermann Hesse turned to painting in his early 40’s at a time of emotional stress.

The exhibition also included Hesse’s brushes, pencils, palette and paint box, a color facsimile of his 1946 Nobel Prize award in Literature, first edition books of Hesse’s works, reproductions of letters by Hesse with translations (including correspondence with Carl Jung), photographs of Hesse writing and painting with Thomas Mann, and other personal artifacts.

museum for the first time original watercolors by novelist Hermann Hesse, as well as pen-and-ink drawings. This historic exhibition brought to a U.S. Hermann Hesse: Novelist, Poet, Painter February 14 – May 30, 1999

Hermann hesse author