Welcome to the Hermann Gross Website!
Introduction
The work of Hermann Gross is not widely known. This
is partly because in the latter part of his life he sought
not to promote it. What stands out in his long artistic
career was his versatility and originality whether as a
painter, sculptor, or stained-glass maker.
His deeply traumatic experiences during World War II
left an indelible mark upon him and the character of his
work. This was revealed in two exhibitions – mostly of a
religious nature – which were staged at The Macbeth
Gallery in New York in 1948 and 1951 – exhibitions
which prompted very favourable reviews in the national
press.
Gross appears to have especially valued that part of his life he spent as artist-in-
residence at a school in the north of Scotland – Camphill School in Aberdeen – a
period lasting over two decades. In Camphill he was able to deploy all his skills –
that of painter, sculptor, and stained-glass maker.
Perhaps his most significant work was an extensive series of paintings he made
relating to children. He aimed through these paintings to challenge certain
preconceptions about the nature of childhood that might have been held by the
teaching and care staff at the school. The paintings, all relating to different aspects of
childhood, were highly visible being hung on the walls of assembly halls, committee
rooms, corridors, and children’s care settings. They were essentially contemplation
pieces which encouraged the viewer to reflect upon the possible meaning of the
content.
Quite deliberately Gross never gave titles to any of this work as he clearly believed
this would distract viewers from working out their own interpretation.
At no time during this most fruitful and productive period of his life did he publicly
exhibit any of his work to an audience external to Camphill. This may have resulted
from his particular interpretation of his role, where he saw his audience as just those
living on the several Camphill School campuses.
This website has been created to enable a wider audience to become aware not only
of the existence of this multi-gifted German Expressionist artist but of the unique
character and contemporary relevance of much of his work.