The artist Heinz Battke (1900 – 1966) initially attended the private Berlin art school “A. Propp” from 1918 to 1921, after which he was a student of Karl Hofer at the Prussian Academy of Arts in Berlin (1922 – 1925). During the Nazi era, Battke was one of the so-called "degenerate" artists. He emigrated to Italy in 1935 and lived in Florence. In 1956, he returned to Germany and took on the position as head of the class for Free Graphic Arts at the “State Academy of Fine Arts – Städelschule” in Frankfurt am Main.
After World War II, Battke was represented at significant national and international art exhibitions: in 1951 he participated in the First Biennale in São Paulo, in 1954 works by Battke were exhibited in the German Pavilion at the Biennale in Venice, and in 1959 at documenta 2 in Kassel. He exhibited several times at the “Frankfurt Art Cabinet Hanna Bekker vom Rath” founded in 1947. Works by Battke were also part of the private art collection of the Hofheim painter, patron, collector, and gallery owner Hanna Bekker vom Rath.
Several works by Battke are part of the art collection of the Hofheim City Museum, with the collection consisting of around 45 drawings and graphics never having been fully shown in an exhibition. Landscapes, (self-) portraits, and still lifes define the overall work. The exhibition presents the work of the painter, draftsman, and graphic artist in a focused manner. Battke was also a recognized jewelry expert for rings and built up a large collection of rings, which is now owned by the Jewelry Museum in Pforzheim. Battke's private collector activities are also presented in the exhibition.
In addition to works by Heinz Battke, the exhibition features works by Hanna Bekker vom Rath, Rudolf Levy, Hans Purrmann, Emy Roeder, and Karl Schmidt-Rottluff.
Opening hours
Tuesday. . 10.00 – 13.00
Tuesday – Friday. . 14.00 – 17.00
Saturday, Sunday. . 11.00 – 18.00
Hallo, ich bin Maya.
