Searching for Traces

Emmy Esther Scheyer, Zürich, 1919, Getty Research Institute, Peg Weiss Papers, 1916-1990

As far as is known, only one painting of Emmy E. Scheyer found its way into a museum. It is a still life from 1915 in the property oft the Kunstmuseum Bern. Most of her works, signed E. Scheyer, EES, Renée or Ray, are in private hands, scattered all over the world. That is why the GALKA EMMY SCHEYER CENTRE as a non-profit association is searching for traces.

For example, it is looking for works

  • which were sold in Braunschweig in 1919, entitled Cello Player, Worker at the Lathe, Empty Stage, Italian Street, Car in the Field, Yellow House, Still Life,
  • which came to auction in Brussels in 1924 and were labelled Woman in an Armchair (oil on canvas, 1915), Still Life (oil on canvas, 1915), Portrait of a Child (oil on wood, oval, 1916),
  • which depict sunsets – Galka Emmy Scheyer painted them in 1924 north of New York on the Hudson River.

In addition, the GALKA EMMY SCHEYER CENTRE is looking for

  • photographs of the Scheyer family and their descendants in England, North and South America and Australia,
  • written documents about Emmy Scheyer’s stays in England, Italy and France 1909-1912 and
  • reports on her painting courses with children and young people.

Photo: Emmy Esther Scheyer, Zurich, 1919
Getty Research Institute, Peg Weiss Papers, 1916-1990

Emmy Scheyer und Käthe Evers, Privatsammlung, Moringen

The GESZ e.V. association is also on the lookout for works painted by Galka Emmy Scheyer’s Braunschweig friends: Elsa Daubert, Käthe Evers, Lette Valeska, Albert Hamburger and Gustav Lehmann.

All the works artistically reveal something of the experiences and inclinations of Emmy E. Scheyer and all her friends. Putting these traces together to form an overall picture is as exciting and enjoyable as a detective story, but one that has to be constantly developed and checked for its veracity.

We are happy to share the results of our search with other researchers. Publishing them ourselves is another goal of the Galka Emmy Scheyer Centre.

For „useful suggestions“ on these works, photos and documents, please use our contact form. We will be happy to call you back or invite you to a conversation via video link.

Photo: Emmy Scheyer and Käthe Evers
Private Collection, Moringen