Johannes Itten

(Swiss, 1888–1967)

Johannes Itten was a Swiss painter and important teacher at the Bauhaus in Weimar. A believer in mysticism, Itten developed comprehensive color theories which drew on both science and emotion, as evinced in his book The Art of Color (1961). “He who wants to become a master of color must see, feel, and experience each individual color in its many endless combinations with all other colors,” he once explained. “Colors must have a mystical capacity for spiritual expression, without being tied to objects.” Born on November 11, 1888 in Südern-Linden, Switzerland, he was trained as an elementary school teacher as a teenager, where he became interesting in exploring the psychology of individual students. In 1916, while living in Vienna, he met Walter Gropius, the founder of the Bauhaus. Gropius invited the artist to become one of the Bauhaus’s earliest instructors alongside Lyonel Feininger in 1919. Itten left the Bauhaus in 1923, after consistently arguing with Gropius about the direction the school take. He went on to open his own school in Berlin, which continued to operate until it was closed by the Nazi regime in 1934. Because of his knowledge of design, he was appointed the director of a textile school in the city of Krefeld. Relocating to Switzerland in 1938, he spent his remaining years writing books and teaching design courses. Itten died on March 25, 1967 in Zürich, Switzerland. Today, the artist’s works are The Museum of Modern Art in New York, the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., and the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum in Madrid, among others.

Johannes Itten Artworks

Artworks for Sale &
Auction Results

Johannes Itten (482 results)
Schreitender - Männlicher Akt in ganzer..., 1920

Johannes Itten

Schreitender - Männlicher Akt in ganzer..., 1920

Sale Date: June 11, 2009

Auction Closed

Im Bademantel, 1920

Johannes Itten

Im Bademantel, 1920

Sale Date: June 11, 2009

Auction Closed

Asiatin, Brustbild, 1930

Johannes Itten

Asiatin, Brustbild, 1930

Sale Date: June 12, 2009

Auction Closed

Gruss und Heil dem Herzen, pl.3 (from..., 1921

Johannes Itten

Gruss und Heil dem Herzen, pl.3 (from..., 1921

Sale Date: May 27, 2009

Auction Closed

Blumen (+ Studie zu sitzendem Paar an gedecktem...

Johannes Itten

Blumen (+ Studie zu sitzendem Paar an gedecktem...

Sale Date: May 15, 2009

Auction Closed

Haus des weissen Mannes, 1922

Johannes Itten

Haus des weissen Mannes, 1922

Sale Date: December 6, 2008

Auction Closed

Kreise und Quadrate, 1963

Johannes Itten

Kreise und Quadrate, 1963

Sale Date: December 6, 2008

Auction Closed

Komposition II, pl.8 (from Johannes Itten..., 1919

Johannes Itten

Komposition II, pl.8 (from Johannes Itten..., 1919

Sale Date: November 28, 2008

Auction Closed

Akzente, 1966

Johannes Itten

Akzente, 1966

Sale Date: November 29, 2008

Auction Closed

Spruch, pl. 3 (from Bauhaus Drucke. Neue..., 1921

Johannes Itten

Spruch, pl. 3 (from Bauhaus Drucke. Neue..., 1921

Sale Date: October 24, 2008

Auction Closed

Ohne Titel (from Johannes Itten, Frau Agathe , 1919

Johannes Itten

Ohne Titel (from Johannes Itten, Frau Agathe , 1919

Sale Date: October 28, 2008

Auction Closed

Ohne Titel (from Johannes Itten, Frau Agathe , 1919

Johannes Itten

Ohne Titel (from Johannes Itten, Frau Agathe , 1919

Sale Date: October 28, 2008

Auction Closed

Weiblicher Halbakt

Johannes Itten

Weiblicher Halbakt

Sale Date: October 15, 2008

Auction Closed

Spielende Kinder, 1918

Johannes Itten

Spielende Kinder, 1918

Sale Date: October 25, 2008

Auction Closed

Tanzende

Johannes Itten

Tanzende

Sale Date: September 25, 2008

Auction Closed

Farbformen und Struktuten, 1953

Johannes Itten

Farbformen und Struktuten, 1953

Sale Date: September 16, 2008

Auction Closed

Mondlicht-Landschaft, 1958

Johannes Itten

Mondlicht-Landschaft, 1958

Sale Date: June 20, 2008

Auction Closed

Kreise und Quadrate, 1963

Johannes Itten

Kreise und Quadrate, 1963

Sale Date: May 29, 2008

Auction Closed

Blumen, 1934

Johannes Itten

Blumen, 1934

Sale Date: May 26, 2008

Auction Closed

Komposition, pl.8 (from Johannes Itten), 1919

Johannes Itten

Komposition, pl.8 (from Johannes Itten), 1919

Sale Date: April 4, 2008

Auction Closed

Ohne Titel (Gletscher über im Tal gelegenem Dorf)

Johannes Itten

Ohne Titel (Gletscher über im Tal gelegenem Dorf)

Sale Date: March 15, 2008

Auction Closed

Spruch

Johannes Itten

Spruch

Sale Date: November 24, 2007

Auction Closed

Komposition, pl. 8 (from Johannes Itten), 1919

Johannes Itten

Komposition, pl. 8 (from Johannes Itten), 1919

Sale Date: December 8, 2007

Auction Closed

Akzente, 1966

Johannes Itten

Akzente, 1966

Sale Date: December 1, 2007

Auction Closed

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