The Bauhaus Bridge to American Abstraction
May 15 – June 15, 2026
We here at McCaughen & Burr have long championed the work of Bauhaus Artist turned Washington University Professor, Werner Drewes. An early student of the Bauhaus School in Germany, Drewes, a student and friend of Kandinsky, excelled with the freedom, color, and new art rules of the Bauhaus. He studied and practiced with the group from 1921- 1928, when political turmoil drove Drewes to leave Europe all-together and emigrate to New York.
Drewes quickly found himself at the heart of the New York art scene, helping to establish the American Artists Congress and the Society Anonyme in 1936 and in 1937 he became a founding member of The American Abstract Artists. Drewes, who created in a multitude of mediums, excelled at wood block prints, which the WPA recognized during this time and gave him a position as print supervisor.
Simultaneous to his physical work, Drewes held teaching positions at Brooklyn College, Columbia University, and the Chicago School of Design – ultimately leading to his tenured position at Washington University in St. Louis.
In 1946 Drewes arrived at the St. Louis School of Fine Art – Washington University, a thriving artists community. In his early years at WashU he worked alongside famed German Expressionist Max Beckmann. In their time as contemporaries, they each created important works of art as well as laid the groundwork for decades of significant artwork to come from the school.
During his nearly twenty years at WashU, Drewes created the majority of his artwork, effortlessly easing in and out of styles and mediums to follow the social arc of the time. While in St. Louis, he continued to show in New York and was reviewed throughout his career by The New York Times and other major publications. His legacy remains as one of the most interesting and talented artists of his generation.
Visit McCaughen & Burr Werner Drewes Selected Works
For further questions or to arrange a private showing, collage or print workshop, contact:
Karen E. D. Seibert at 301.346.9033, karen@seibertgroup.com
