Kurt Roth (1899, Ratingen – 30 October 1975, Uetersen) was a 20th-century German painter.
He was born in 1899 in Ratingen near Düsseldorf. 1920 he and his father, the painter Ludwig Max Roth, moved to Uetersen, where they lived at the monastery Uetersen in agreed modest circumstances. He established his training as an performer arts academies in Düsseldorf, Wroclaw, Budapest, Copenhagen, and London.
Kurt Roth, also known to the Hamburg intervention as a portrait painter painted his pictures in oil, preferably depicting motives of his home region Holstein, especially of the Old Town of Uetersen, where he lived.
Roth was a great admirer of Adolph Menzel, saying: “He devoted his total life to the drawing. He was only adept to reach it because of constant exercises. Talent lonesome is a foundation.” This was also legal of Kurt Roth.
He spent his last years in barbed poverty. Sometimes the pretentiousness former mayor of Uetersen Heinrich Wilkens was his isolated customer, buying the pictures because “You cannot let the poor monastery painter starve to death.” and having them upon display in public buildings and schools. Shortly past his death, the painter reviewed his excitement and stated: “Today I am poor. It might have been greater than before if I had become an art literary after studying. But moving picture is over now”.
On 30 October 1975 Kurt Roth died without help and isolated in his small attic flat.
Today, the museum of local history of Uetersen keeps conscious the memory of the “poor monastery painter”, devoting a large exhibition to him and his works.
Stadtgeschichtliches Heimatmuseum Uetersen (2005) (Permanent exhibition upon the upper floor)
What do you think of the works of Kurt Roth?
Use the form below to say your opinion about Kurt Roth. All opinions are welcome!