Full name: Maria Melania Mutermilch
DAUGHTER of Fabian Klingsland
(a merchant)
MOTHER - (?)
D.O.D. - 1909
She had a
BROTHER - Zygmunt Klingsland
(a Polish diplomat to Paris)
SISTER - Gustawa Hirszberg
D.O.D. - 1911
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Maris was WIFE to
HUSBAND - Michal Mutermilch
(He was a journalist, critic,
social activist)
D.O.D. - 1947
They were wed in 1899 in the
Warsaw synagogue on Tomackie St.
She was MOTHER to one child
SON - Andrzej - (1900 - 1924)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
She moved from Poland to Paris
with her husband and began
studying art. She took part in
the 1902 Beaux-Arts Exhibition.
She showed her works at all the
major Polish Exhibitions.
Although she is in France, she
still retains many friendships
with the Polish community who
also resided there. She was the
first Jewish woman who was a
professional painter in Poland.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
She was known for painting:
* landscapes
* still life
* portraits
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
She studied at several formal
schools and with painters.
Finally, she decided she was
'self-taught' as she felt she
learned more from other artists
than from her teachers.
She showed her art in Poland,
but in France, she excelled.
She was part of shows at:
* Societé Nationale des Beaux Arts
* Salon des Indépendants
* Salon d'Automne
* Salon des Tuileries
When the war began, Mela Muter
went to Avignon to continue her
painting. Following the conflict,
she traveled to several European
nations.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
In 1917 Maria (a married woman),
met Raymond Lefebvre (1891–1920),
who was severely ill at the time.
A romantic relationship developed
causing a break in her marriage.
A religious divorce from Micha³
Mutermilch was granted by the
Chief Rabbi of Paris in 1919.
Maria and the activists Lefebvre
were to be wed, but instead he left
Soviet Russia in 1920. He died in
unexplained circumstances while on
the White Sea.
(He may have been murdered.)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
The illness of her son, who
suffered from bone tuberculosis
also added to her woe. These
tragedies, along with others,
inspired her to convert to
Catholicism in 1923.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
She came to believe that a
painting "should not be
composed but constructed."
In the period between the
wars she held one-woman
exhibitions in Paris in:
*1918, 1924, 1925, 1926,
*1927, 1928, 1930
She held exhibitions in Warsaw in 1923.
In 1925, she has a brief affair
with the writer, Rainer Maria Rilke,
who composes poems to her.
He died in 1926.
In 1927, Mela Muter was granted
French citizenship.
Regarding her portrait work,
she wrote:
"I don't ask myself whether a
person in front of my easels is
good, false, generous, intelligent.
I try to dominate them and
represent them just as I do in the
case of a flower, tomato or tree;
to feel myself into their essence;
if I manage to do that, I express
myself through their personality."
She suffered financial reversals.
She lost her villa and had to live
in her dark, humid studio.
She had serious problems with her
sight, which improved after a
cataract operation in 1965, so she
was able to rework some of her
paintings. She died in her studio
on May 14, 1967.
DAUGHTER of Fabian Klingsland
(a merchant)
MOTHER - (?)
D.O.D. - 1909
She had a
BROTHER - Zygmunt Klingsland
(a Polish diplomat to Paris)
SISTER - Gustawa Hirszberg
D.O.D. - 1911
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Maris was WIFE to
HUSBAND - Michal Mutermilch
(He was a journalist, critic,
social activist)
D.O.D. - 1947
They were wed in 1899 in the
Warsaw synagogue on Tomackie St.
She was MOTHER to one child
SON - Andrzej - (1900 - 1924)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
She moved from Poland to Paris
with her husband and began
studying art. She took part in
the 1902 Beaux-Arts Exhibition.
She showed her works at all the
major Polish Exhibitions.
Although she is in France, she
still retains many friendships
with the Polish community who
also resided there. She was the
first Jewish woman who was a
professional painter in Poland.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
She was known for painting:
* landscapes
* still life
* portraits
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
She studied at several formal
schools and with painters.
Finally, she decided she was
'self-taught' as she felt she
learned more from other artists
than from her teachers.
She showed her art in Poland,
but in France, she excelled.
She was part of shows at:
* Societé Nationale des Beaux Arts
* Salon des Indépendants
* Salon d'Automne
* Salon des Tuileries
When the war began, Mela Muter
went to Avignon to continue her
painting. Following the conflict,
she traveled to several European
nations.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
In 1917 Maria (a married woman),
met Raymond Lefebvre (1891–1920),
who was severely ill at the time.
A romantic relationship developed
causing a break in her marriage.
A religious divorce from Micha³
Mutermilch was granted by the
Chief Rabbi of Paris in 1919.
Maria and the activists Lefebvre
were to be wed, but instead he left
Soviet Russia in 1920. He died in
unexplained circumstances while on
the White Sea.
(He may have been murdered.)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
The illness of her son, who
suffered from bone tuberculosis
also added to her woe. These
tragedies, along with others,
inspired her to convert to
Catholicism in 1923.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
She came to believe that a
painting "should not be
composed but constructed."
In the period between the
wars she held one-woman
exhibitions in Paris in:
*1918, 1924, 1925, 1926,
*1927, 1928, 1930
She held exhibitions in Warsaw in 1923.
In 1925, she has a brief affair
with the writer, Rainer Maria Rilke,
who composes poems to her.
He died in 1926.
In 1927, Mela Muter was granted
French citizenship.
Regarding her portrait work,
she wrote:
"I don't ask myself whether a
person in front of my easels is
good, false, generous, intelligent.
I try to dominate them and
represent them just as I do in the
case of a flower, tomato or tree;
to feel myself into their essence;
if I manage to do that, I express
myself through their personality."
She suffered financial reversals.
She lost her villa and had to live
in her dark, humid studio.
She had serious problems with her
sight, which improved after a
cataract operation in 1965, so she
was able to rework some of her
paintings. She died in her studio
on May 14, 1967.
Full name: Maria Melania Mutermilch
DAUGHTER of Fabian Klingsland
(a merchant)
MOTHER - (?)
D.O.D. - 1909
She had a
BROTHER - Zygmunt Klingsland
(a Polish diplomat to Paris)
SISTER - Gustawa Hirszberg
D.O.D. - 1911
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Maris was WIFE to
HUSBAND - Michal Mutermilch
(He was a journalist, critic,
social activist)
D.O.D. - 1947
They were wed in 1899 in the
Warsaw synagogue on Tomackie St.
She was MOTHER to one child
SON - Andrzej - (1900 - 1924)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
She moved from Poland to Paris
with her husband and began
studying art. She took part in
the 1902 Beaux-Arts Exhibition.
She showed her works at all the
major Polish Exhibitions.
Although she is in France, she
still retains many friendships
with the Polish community who
also resided there. She was the
first Jewish woman who was a
professional painter in Poland.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
She was known for painting:
* landscapes
* still life
* portraits
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
She studied at several formal
schools and with painters.
Finally, she decided she was
'self-taught' as she felt she
learned more from other artists
than from her teachers.
She showed her art in Poland,
but in France, she excelled.
She was part of shows at:
* Societé Nationale des Beaux Arts
* Salon des Indépendants
* Salon d'Automne
* Salon des Tuileries
When the war began, Mela Muter
went to Avignon to continue her
painting. Following the conflict,
she traveled to several European
nations.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
In 1917 Maria (a married woman),
met Raymond Lefebvre (1891–1920),
who was severely ill at the time.
A romantic relationship developed
causing a break in her marriage.
A religious divorce from Micha³
Mutermilch was granted by the
Chief Rabbi of Paris in 1919.
Maria and the activists Lefebvre
were to be wed, but instead he left
Soviet Russia in 1920. He died in
unexplained circumstances while on
the White Sea.
(He may have been murdered.)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
The illness of her son, who
suffered from bone tuberculosis
also added to her woe. These
tragedies, along with others,
inspired her to convert to
Catholicism in 1923.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
She came to believe that a
painting "should not be
composed but constructed."
In the period between the
wars she held one-woman
exhibitions in Paris in:
*1918, 1924, 1925, 1926,
*1927, 1928, 1930
She held exhibitions in Warsaw in 1923.
In 1925, she has a brief affair
with the writer, Rainer Maria Rilke,
who composes poems to her.
He died in 1926.
In 1927, Mela Muter was granted
French citizenship.
Regarding her portrait work,
she wrote:
"I don't ask myself whether a
person in front of my easels is
good, false, generous, intelligent.
I try to dominate them and
represent them just as I do in the
case of a flower, tomato or tree;
to feel myself into their essence;
if I manage to do that, I express
myself through their personality."
She suffered financial reversals.
She lost her villa and had to live
in her dark, humid studio.
She had serious problems with her
sight, which improved after a
cataract operation in 1965, so she
was able to rework some of her
paintings. She died in her studio
on May 14, 1967.
DAUGHTER of Fabian Klingsland
(a merchant)
MOTHER - (?)
D.O.D. - 1909
She had a
BROTHER - Zygmunt Klingsland
(a Polish diplomat to Paris)
SISTER - Gustawa Hirszberg
D.O.D. - 1911
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Maris was WIFE to
HUSBAND - Michal Mutermilch
(He was a journalist, critic,
social activist)
D.O.D. - 1947
They were wed in 1899 in the
Warsaw synagogue on Tomackie St.
She was MOTHER to one child
SON - Andrzej - (1900 - 1924)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
She moved from Poland to Paris
with her husband and began
studying art. She took part in
the 1902 Beaux-Arts Exhibition.
She showed her works at all the
major Polish Exhibitions.
Although she is in France, she
still retains many friendships
with the Polish community who
also resided there. She was the
first Jewish woman who was a
professional painter in Poland.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
She was known for painting:
* landscapes
* still life
* portraits
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
She studied at several formal
schools and with painters.
Finally, she decided she was
'self-taught' as she felt she
learned more from other artists
than from her teachers.
She showed her art in Poland,
but in France, she excelled.
She was part of shows at:
* Societé Nationale des Beaux Arts
* Salon des Indépendants
* Salon d'Automne
* Salon des Tuileries
When the war began, Mela Muter
went to Avignon to continue her
painting. Following the conflict,
she traveled to several European
nations.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
In 1917 Maria (a married woman),
met Raymond Lefebvre (1891–1920),
who was severely ill at the time.
A romantic relationship developed
causing a break in her marriage.
A religious divorce from Micha³
Mutermilch was granted by the
Chief Rabbi of Paris in 1919.
Maria and the activists Lefebvre
were to be wed, but instead he left
Soviet Russia in 1920. He died in
unexplained circumstances while on
the White Sea.
(He may have been murdered.)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
The illness of her son, who
suffered from bone tuberculosis
also added to her woe. These
tragedies, along with others,
inspired her to convert to
Catholicism in 1923.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
She came to believe that a
painting "should not be
composed but constructed."
In the period between the
wars she held one-woman
exhibitions in Paris in:
*1918, 1924, 1925, 1926,
*1927, 1928, 1930
She held exhibitions in Warsaw in 1923.
In 1925, she has a brief affair
with the writer, Rainer Maria Rilke,
who composes poems to her.
He died in 1926.
In 1927, Mela Muter was granted
French citizenship.
Regarding her portrait work,
she wrote:
"I don't ask myself whether a
person in front of my easels is
good, false, generous, intelligent.
I try to dominate them and
represent them just as I do in the
case of a flower, tomato or tree;
to feel myself into their essence;
if I manage to do that, I express
myself through their personality."
She suffered financial reversals.
She lost her villa and had to live
in her dark, humid studio.
She had serious problems with her
sight, which improved after a
cataract operation in 1965, so she
was able to rework some of her
paintings. She died in her studio
on May 14, 1967.
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See more Muter or Klingsland memorials in:
- City of Paris Cemetery Bagneux Muter or Klingsland
- Bagneux Muter or Klingsland
- Departement des Hauts-de-Seine Muter or Klingsland
- Île-de-France Muter or Klingsland
- France Muter or Klingsland
- Find a Grave Muter or Klingsland
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