Sulamith Wülfing facts for kids

Sulamith Wülfing (born January 11, 1901 – died 1989) was a talented German artist and illustrator. She was known for her unique and dreamlike paintings. Many people, including author Michael Folz, said that Sulamith's art showed the world as she saw it. She believed she saw angels and magical creatures throughout her life, and these visions inspired her artwork.

Life Story of Sulamith Wülfing

Sulamith Wülfing was born in Elberfeld, a town in Germany, on January 11, 1901. Her parents, Karl and Hedwig Wülfing, were interested in a spiritual philosophy called Theosophy. For the first five years of her life, Sulamith and her parents lived a very quiet life, away from others.

Early Visions and Art

From a very young age, Sulamith had special visions. She saw angels, fairies, gnomes, and spirits of nature. She started drawing these magical beings when she was just four years old. These visions continued throughout her entire life and were a big inspiration for all her paintings.

Education and Family Life

In 1921, Sulamith Wülfing finished her studies at the Art College in Wuppertal. Later, in 1932, she married Otto Schulze, who was a professor at the same Art College. Together, they started their own publishing company called Sulamith Wülfing Verlag. This company helped share her beautiful artwork with the world.

Challenges During World War II

During World War II, the area around Wuppertal was heavily bombed. Sadly, Sulamith Wülfing's house was destroyed, and many of her precious paintings were lost. Her family also got separated during the war. She received a false report that her husband had died, so she fled to France with her only child. Luckily, they were all reunited later. The Nazi government at the time did not like her art. Her books were often burned, and she was told to paint only big, heroic scenes of leaders, which was not her style.

Spiritual Guidance

Sulamith Wülfing found comfort and guidance in the teachings of Jiddu Krishnamurti, a religious teacher. She felt his ideas helped her get through difficult times in her life. Sulamith Wülfing passed away in 1989 when she was 88 years old.

The Art of Sulamith Wülfing

Sulamith Wülfing's artwork has many different feelings. Some paintings feel calm and peaceful, while others might feel a bit sad or thoughtful. Her subjects are often mysterious, like a story where you have to guess what is happening. This was exactly what she wanted! She said that her art could be like "mirrors of their own experiences" for people who looked at them. She wanted viewers to decide what each picture meant to them, without her telling them.

Common Themes and Characters

Many of Sulamith Wülfing's paintings feature tall, fair-haired young women and men. They often have large, expressive eyes and thoughtful or sad faces. They wear detailed gowns or robes, sometimes with veils, special head coverings, wreaths, or jeweled crowns. These characters are often found in outdoor places like twilight woods or moonlit meadows. They also appear in castle-like rooms with old-fashioned details like stone arches and stained-glass windows. Some patterns on the clothes and furniture look like old Norse and Celtic designs.

Details and Symbolism

Her art is rich with natural details. You might see thorny bushes, moths, butterflies, feathers, leaves, and delicate flowers. These elements add a lot of texture and depth to her images. Many of her paintings feel like they come straight from a fairytale. You can find smiling dwarves, gnomes, knights in armor, and even dragons. Some of her works focus on holidays like Christmas or Easter. A few paintings seem to show the Annunciation, a religious event. She also created a series of black and white pictures showing the Stations of the Cross.

Spiritual and Emotional Art

In her more spiritual paintings, you can see bright, winged beings. They often appear to comfort or advise people who are troubled. Some of her artworks explore themes of pregnancy and motherhood. Others show feelings of loneliness and being separated, while some celebrate love and happiness.

Sulamith Wülfing explained her art by saying her drawings showed her deepest feelings. These included joy, fear, sadness, happiness, and humor. She said her ideas came from her own experiences and helped her create these "fairy compositions." She saw her angels as comforters, guides, friends, and protectors. She also mentioned that dwarfs in her art often showed her the small, funny things in life that made her smile, even during difficult times. Besides painting and illustrating, she also created collages and tapestries.

Influence on Other Artists

Sulamith Wülfing's unique art has inspired many other creative people.

Music and Album Art

The famous singer and songwriter Stevie Nicks has said that Sulamith Wülfing's art inspired many of her songs. Sulamith's artwork was even used for the cover of Stevie Nicks' 1983 album, The Wild Heart. During Stevie Nicks' 2005 Gold Dust tour, images of Sulamith Wülfing's art were shown on a large screen during her concerts.

In 1973, Pete Sinfield, who used to write lyrics for the band King Crimson, used Sulamith Wülfing's painting "Big Friend" for the front cover of his first solo album, Still. He felt the painting showed the balance between being delicate and strong, and between clear truth and illusion.

Other Artists

Artist and dollmaker Marina Bychkova also credits Sulamith Wülfing as a source of her inspiration. Another artist whose work has been compared to Sulamith Wülfing's is Feeroozeh Golmohammadi.