Franz Kortejohann

Franz Kortejohann (* 1864 in Strang; † 1936 in Osnabrück) was a German painter from the Osnabrück region.

From 1889 to 1891, Kortejohann attended the School of Applied Arts in Berlin. In 1901, he studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich, where O. Seitz and M. Weicholdt were his teachers. His educational travels took him to Italy in 1905, where he painted many sunlit landscapes and architectural scenes. As early as 1899, the artist held an exhibition featuring 70 works: paintings, sketches, and studies with landscape and architectural motifs from Tyrol, Bavaria, the Black Forest, the Harz mountains, the island of Rügen, and of course from his immediate and broader homeland, including the Hümmling region.

In 1902, he showcased paintings intended for the "Große Berliner Kunstausstellung," which received positive reviews. He exhibited in Hannover in 1902, 1908, and 1912; in 1905 at Rackhorst in Osnabrück, where the art publisher Bruckmann from Munich produced a fine print of his painting "Einsame Heide." A critic commented on the 1905 exhibition in Braunschweig, noting its "peculiar beauty." A more objective review of an exhibition in Leipzig in 1905 stated: "K. is a landscape painter, portraitist, figure, and genre painter. He still lacks personal distinctiveness but captures natural moods and genuine impressions well." The critic suspected an influence from Böcklin's works. Kortejohann was represented in the Munich Glass Palace in 1906 and 1916, and in 1909 he had a solo exhibition in Aachen, so he certainly enjoyed success.

The magazine "Für alle Welt" published a double-page color reproduction of the painting "Einsame Heide" in 1906, stating: "The painting is one of the best and most mature works of the artist." His extensive exhibition at the museum in 1909 featured similar motifs to Heckers' works: heathland, rural villages, interiors, portraits, and forests. This exhibition traveled through several cities in Germany. Prints of some paintings were published by Bruckmann and Hanfstengel. Until 1930, Kortejohann was featured in many exhibitions, several times in Osnabrück and also in Münster, as well as in Hameln; a significant one took place at the Kunsthalle Bremen and in the Cologne Art Association. He developed an open and broad brushstroke style, often with surprising treatments of light. His strength remained in the expansive landscapes, richly colored forests, and rural interiors; his paintings do not shout or impose themselves. They are charming, inviting, and reflect the cheerfulness of a balanced soul. He remained firmly rooted in his Osnabrück homeland, as it was the source of his art. Franz Kortejohann passed away on August 4, 1936, at the age of 72.