Conrad Felixmüller (German, 1897–1977) was an Expressionist painter and printmaker. Born in Dresden, after attending drawing classes at the Dresden Kunstgewerbeschule, Felixmüller later studied under artist Ferdinand Dorsch, as well as under Carl Bantzer at the Königliche Kunstakademie, where he began his training as a painter.

In 1915, Felixmüller left the academy. He worked as a freelance artist in Dresden, frequently traveling to Berlin, where he painted in Ludwig Meidner’s studio. During this time, Felixmüller also contributed to Der Sturm, a magazine focused on the burgeoning Expressionist movement.

In 1917, Felixmüller founded the art and literature journal MENSCHEN. He also had several exhibitions, at the gallery of German art dealer Hans Goltz in Munich and at Galerie Arnold in Dresden, along with fellow Expressionist artists Erich Heckel, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, and Karl Schmidt-Rottluff. In 1918, Felixmüller moved to Dresden, where he became the founder and chairman of the Dresdner Sezession-Gruppe 19, and joined the Novembergruppe.

His early work was strongly influenced by Expressionism, and captured scenes of everyday life. Beginning around 1930, his focus shifted toward genre-like narrative subjects, which were generally calmer in tone.

In 1933, 40 of the artist’s works were included in the Nazi exhibition Reflections of Decay at the Municipal Museum in Dresden. Seven of his works were then included in the Degenerate Art exhibition in 1937, and many of his paintings were subsequently removed from public collections. Following the Second World War, Felixmüller resumed teaching in Germany. In 1949, he was appointed professor at the Martin-Luther-Universität in Halle, where he taught drawing and painting.

In 1961, Felixmüller retired and returned to Berlin, where he lived until his death.

Today, his works can be found in institutions around the world, including the Courtauld Institute of Art in London, the Von der Heydt-Museum in Germany, and the Indianapolis Museum of Art.