Wolf Kahn

Wolf Kahn (born October 4, 1927) is a German-born American painter.

Kahn, known for his combination of Realism and Color Field, works in pastel and oil paint. He studied under Hans Hofmann, and also graduated from the University of Chicago. Kahn is a resident of both New York City and, during the summer and autumn, West Brattleboro, Vermont.

Biography

Wolf Kahn was born in Stuttgart, Germany in 1927. He was the fourth child of Emil (b. November 10, 1896, d. January 25, 1985) and Nellie Budge Kahn. Kahn's father was a notable figure in the music world. He was musician, composer, conductor and teacher. In 1933, Kahn's father lost his appointment with the Stuttgart Philharmonic Orchestra when Hitler came to power and with increasing antisemitism sweeping Germany, he and his second wife left Germany with Kahn's three siblings for the United States. Wolf was sent to live with his grandmother, Anna Kahn in Frankfurt, Germany at the age of three. He states that he began drawing at the age of 4. In 1937, the summer of his eleventh birthday, his grandmother signed him up for private art lessons with Miss von Joeden. He drew every day and was inspired by military pageantry, Napoleonic Wars and prominent historical figures including Adolph Menzel and Frederick the Great. In 1939, when Kahn was twelve years old, his grandmother arranged for him to leave Germany for England to live with a host family, first with the John Wade family and then with the Purvis Family. As quotas for immigrant applications in the United States changed, Kahn was able to reunite with his family in New York city in 1940 at the age of thirteen.