Richard Müller

The painter and graphic artist Richard Müller was born in 1874. He first completed training at the painting school at the Meissen porcelain manufactory before switching to the Dresden Art Academy from 1890 to 1892. Among his teachers were Ernst Moritz Geyger, Leon Pohle and Leonhard Gey. In 1894 Müller took part in the 'Dresden Secession'. In exhibitions his works found great success: he was awarded the Rome Prize in 1897, the Gold Medal at the Paris World's Fair in 1899-1900, and in 1912 the Austrian State Medal in Vienna.

From 1900 to 1935 Müller taught at the Kunstakademie in Dresden, where George Grosz was one of his pupils. In 1933-34 he also served as rector. Because of his stance during National Socialism, the painter remains controversial to this day. A party member since 1933, he helped to organize the first exhibition of 'degenerate art' in Dresden. In 1944 the Reichsministerium placed him on the so-called 'Gottbegnadeten-Liste' of favoured artists. Müller died in Dresden-Loschwitz in 1954.