The Life and Art of Kurt Seligmann
Born in Basel, Switzerland, Kurt Seligmann was a Swiss-American Surrealist painter, engraver, and occultist. His artistic journey began in his youth while working in a print shop, where he hand-colored glass lantern slides. After studying at the École Supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Geneva, he attended the Accademia di Belle Arti in Florence. Seligmann’s work is characterized by fantastic imagery, often featuring medieval troubadors and knights engaged in macabre rituals, inspired by the annual carnival of his native Basel.
In 1929, Seligmann moved to Paris, where he became deeply involved in the Surrealist movement. He was a member of the group Abstraction-Création and was eventually accepted into the Surrealist movement by André Breton. His travels to French Tahiti, Alaska, and British Columbia during the 1930s sparked a profound interest in Indigenous art and totems.
Exile and Later Years
Following the invasion of Poland in 1939, Seligmann and his wife, Arlette Paraf, relocated to New York City. During his time in exile in the 1940s, his work leaned heavily into the incorporation of magic, myth, and the occult. He was a prolific writer, publishing works such as Magic, Supernaturalism and Religion and The Mirror of Magic.
Seligmann was also an educator, teaching at Briarcliff Junior College, The New School for Social Research, and Brooklyn College. His students included Robert Motherwell and Alan Vega. In his later years, he lived on a farm in Sugar Loaf, New York, where he continued to paint and garden until his death.
Questions & Answers
Can I study Kurt Seligmann's use of color across all works?
Kurt Seligmann's use of color across the works listed on this website can be studied on the artist's Palette Genome page.
Where are Kurt Seligmann's artworks mapped by subject?
The Subject Atlas page maps Kurt Seligmann's artworks by subject.
In which movements did Kurt Seligmann work?
The All Movements page groups Kurt Seligmann's artworks by art movement.
Where can I see Kurt Seligmann's artworks in a 3D gallery?
A virtual visit is possible: the 3D Museum page of Kurt Seligmann presents the artist's works in a three-dimensional gallery.
