A Versatile Master of Form and Design
Born in New York City, United States, Paul Scheurich was a prolific German painter, graphic artist, sculptor, and ceramic designer. His artistic journey began with studies at the Berlin Academy of Arts between 1900 and 1902. Scheurich’s career was marked by an extraordinary versatility, spanning from the delicate precision of porcelain modeling to the grand scale of stage design and mural painting. He was a significant figure in the Berlin art scene, contributing to the culture of theater and fashion, and his graphic works were often identified by a distinctive monogram, "P S", set within a vertical rectangle.
His graphic contributions were extensive, including over 100 works for the satirical magazine Simplicissimus and illustrations for publications such as Die Dame and Sport im Bild. Beyond the printed page, his vision extended to the state's visual culture through the design of Reichsbank banknotes starting in 1929.
Porcelain and Theatrical Elegance
Scheurich is widely recognized as a premier porcelain artist of the first half of the 20th century. His work with prestigious manufactories, including Schwarzburger Werkstätten, Nymphenburg Porcelain Manufactory, KPM (Royal Porcelain Factory) Berlin, Hutschenreuther, and Staatliche Majolika Manufaktur in Karlsruhe, established his international reputation. Most notably, he held an exclusive contract and a professorship at the Meissen Porcelain Manufactory between 1918 and 1936.
His porcelain figures were characterized by:
His theatrical involvement was equally profound, having designed stage sets for Max Reinhardt and producing costume and production designs for both theater and film. His decorative reach also included large-scale commissions such as the stage curtain for the Deutsche Oper Berlin and various murals, ceiling decorations, and tapestries.
