1
Richard Oelze Paintings: The 4 Most Famous, Through a Gallery's Eye
Updated November 2026 · ranked by our popularity score (searches, visits and orders for each work) · 5 works by Richard Oelze in our catalogue
In short
To the gallery's eye, Richard Oelze's most famous painting is Morning Landscape (Morgenlandschaft) (1959), whose original hangs in the Israel Museum, Jerusalem. Archaic Fragment (1935) and Still Life (1958) complete the trio every eye recognises. Of the 5 works by Richard Oelze in our catalog, the gallery presents the 4 most famous below, each original with its year, its museum and what makes it unique.
1900 – 1980, Magdeburg
Surrealism
Most works: Israel Museum
The gallery's top 10 Richard Oelze paintings
The museums that keep Richard Oelze's originals
The 3 museums that hold the most of the paintings on this page.
| Museum | City | Works by Richard Oelze | Paintings from this list |
|---|---|---|---|
 Israel Museum |
Jerusalem | 2 | Morning Landscape (Morgenlandschaft), Lasmander |
 Städel Museum |
Frankfurt | 1 | Archaic Fragment |
 Bavarian State Painting Collections |
Munich | 1 | Still Life |
Richard Oelze, the signature paintings of each year
25 years of Richard Oelze's art, 1935 to 1959: the gallery follows them year by year, through the most famous originals of each.
Works per year
Pick a year to see its originals.
Richard Oelze's paintings: the gallery answers
Which Richard Oelze painting is the most famous of all?Reveal the answer
Morning Landscape (Morgenlandschaft) (1959), Israel Museum, Jerusalem. Archaic Fragment (1935) and Still Life (1958) come next.
How old was Richard Oelze on completing Morning Landscape (Morgenlandschaft)?Reveal the answer
59 years old: Morning Landscape (Morgenlandschaft) dates from 1959, and Richard Oelze was born in 1900.
How many works did Richard Oelze create?Reveal the answer
Our catalog holds 5 works by Richard Oelze, dated from 1935 to 1959.
Where do Richard Oelze's most famous originals hang?Reveal the answer
Mostly in Israel Museum (Jerusalem), Städel Museum (Frankfurt) and Bavarian State Painting Collections (Munich). The museum table above lists them all.
When did Richard Oelze create the most famous paintings?Reveal the answer
In 1959: 2 of the 4 works on this page were made then, Morning Landscape (Morgenlandschaft) among them.
Which are Richard Oelze's earliest and latest famous works?Reveal the answer
On this page, the earliest is Archaic Fragment (1935) and the latest Morning Landscape (Morgenlandschaft) (1959).
Which movement is Richard Oelze associated with?Reveal the answer
Surrealism, judging by the originals on this page.
Which Richard Oelze originals does the Israel Museum hold?Reveal the answer
Morning Landscape (Morgenlandschaft) and Lasmander: the Israel Museum, Jerusalem holds 2 of the works on this page.
Richard Oelze: the artist
The Life and Education of Richard Oelze
Born in Magdeburg, Germany, Richard Oelze began his artistic journey at the School of Decorative Arts in Magdeburg. Between 1914 and 1918, he trained as a lithographer, while also attending evening classes to learn nude drawing under teachers such as Richard Winckel and Kurt Tuch. Following his initial training, he studied at the same school as a Stipendiat from 1919 until 1921. His formal education continued at the Bauhaus, where he studied in Weimar under Johannes Itten and later in Dessau, where he held a special teaching post.
Oelze's travels took him through several European cities, including Dresden, Ascona in Switzerland, Berlin, and Paris. During his time in Paris from 1932 to 1936, he became acquainted with figures such as André Breton, Salvador Dalí, Paul Éluard, and Max Ernst, as well as Mina Loy. After living in Switzerland and Italy, he moved to the artists' colony in Worpswede in 1939. Following military service and a period as a prisoner, he returned to Worpswede, eventually moving to Gut Posteholz near Hameln, where he lived until his death in 1980.
Artistic Style and Major Works
As a painter, draftsperson, and graphic artist, Oelze was regarded as a significant figure in surrealism. His work is characterized by a secretive representation of landscape and figural compositions, often rendered with a level of detail reminiscent of the old masters. One of his most important works is Die Erwartung (The Expectation, 1935/1936), which depicts a group of people with their backs to the observer, staring into an empty landscape.
His artistic recognition included several honors and exhibitions, such as: