Wilhelm Uhde and His Discoveries in the World of Art He was neither an artist nor a critic in the traditional sense. He was a talent hunter. Wilhelm Uhde (Wilhelm Uhde) was a German collector and art historian who lived in Paris in the first half of the 20th century. His name is not as well-known as Picasso or Matisse, but it was he who introduced the world to artists who were scorned by official art: naives, primitives, "Sunday painters." Uhde risked his money, reputation, and even his life during the war to show that genius can live in a rundown attic and paint on cardboard. Thanks to him, we know Séraphine de Senlis, Henri Rousseau, Camille Bombois. Let's understand who he was and how he made his discoveries. Career and First Love: Picasso Wilhelm Uhde was born in 1874 in Germany in a wealthy Jewish family. He studied law but dropped out for art. In 1904, he moved to Paris, where he opened a small art gallery. He was one of the first to buy works by Pablo Picasso, before he became famous. Uhde bought the "Blue Period," Cubist still lifes. In 1908, he organized a Picasso exhibition in his gallery. Was it a commercial success? No, rather a risk. But Uhde believed in his "boy." Later Picasso would become a world star, while Uhde would remain in the shadows, but he didn't regret it. Discovering Naive Art: Henri Rousseau In 1908, Uhde saw the paintings of Henri Rousseau, a customs officer who started painting in retirement, at an exhibition. Rousseau was considered a nut, his works were mocked. Uhde saw power in them: the absence of perspective, primitive forms, but incredible sincerity. He bought several paintings by Rousseau, including "Sleeping Gypsy." Thanks to Uhde's support, Rousseau was noticed by avant-garde artists (Picasso organized a banquet in his honor in 1908). Uhde wrote the first monograph on Rousseau. Since then, "The Customs Officer" has been considered a classic. Séraphine of Senlis: A Servant Genius The main story of Uhde is his encount ... Read more