Heinrich Wilke

Heinrich Wilke was born in Berlin on February 3, 1869 and died in Güstrow on November 19, 1952. He was a German painter who specialized primarily in portraits, landscapes and historical scenes.

Wilke studied painting at the Hochschule für Bildende Künste Berlin from 1887 to 1891, where he studied under Hugo Vogel, among others. As early as 1890, he received awards for his works depicting Pompeian women’s baths and exhibited them at the Academy of Fine Arts. From 1891 to 1892, he completed additional studies at the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich, where he came into the circle of well-known painters such as Bruno Piglhein, Ludwig Thiersch and Carl Gustaf Hellqvist.

After his return to Berlin in 1893, he devoted himself mainly to portrait and history painting. He undertook several study trips to Italy in 1892, 1896/1897 and 1901/1902. Wilke was also involved in various artistic associations and was regularly represented at the major Berlin art exhibitions.

In 1917, he received an invitation from Richard van Tongel to Güstrow to create a commissioned work for the van Tongel steelworks. There he established himself as a sought-after portrait painter and created around 100 portraits of the bourgeoisie of Güstrow. In 1921, Güstrow became his adopted home, where he lived and worked until his death.

During his time in Berlin, Wilke concentrated primarily on historical themes in his works, later turning his attention increasingly to Mecklenburg landscapes. Today, the Güstrow City Museum houses 29 of his paintings.

Wilke’s works were presented in various exhibitions, including the International Art Exhibition in Berlin in 1896, the Great Berlin Art Exhibitions between 1893 and 1916 as well as solo exhibitions at the Rostock Municipal Museum in 1921, the Museum am Alten Garten in Schwerin in 1926 and the Güstrow Museum in 1928. His works continued to be shown posthumously, for example in the exhibition of contemporary painters at the Mecklenburg State Museum in Schwerin in 1939 and a cabinet exhibition at the Güstrow City Museum in 1994.