Fedor Szerbakow

Feodor Szerbakow (born February 20, 1911, in Eckertsdorf, East Prussia, as Theodor Szerbakowski; died February 10, 2009, in Seebergen, Lilienthal) was a German painter known for his landscapes and floral compositions. The son of a farmer from Masuria, he assisted on his family’s farm until he was 17. In 1928, he moved to Stettin, where he received his first training in painting and drawing. From 1930, he studied painting at the Berlin Art Academy, where he encountered the works of Otto Modersohn, who became a lasting inspiration. In 1933, Szerbakow moved to Worpswede with his wife, Frieda, to be closer to his idol and eventual mentor.

The moor landscapes around the Teufelsmoor region captivated Szerbakow, and he often depicted these in his works. After serving in the Wehrmacht during World War II, he put painting aside for a long period and focused on cultivating exotic plants and rhododendrons, becoming a skilled botanist. He only returned to painting in the 1970s.

Szerbakow’s works often featured misty moor scenes and vivid sunsets, later branching into lush floral still-lifes. Influenced by Modersohn, he also adopted stylistic elements from Anton Burger. To honor Szerbakow on his 90th birthday, the Worpswede artist colony held a large retrospective in 2001, celebrating their “last living master.”