Artwork
Bauhaus Stairway
Bauhaus Stairway is an oil painting by the Bauhaus artist Oskar Schlemmer. It dates from 1932 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
It shows students climbing the stairs of the Bauhaus school, a German art school that shut down in 1933 after the Nazis took power.
Bauhaus Stairway is an oil painting by German artist Oskar Schlemmer, finished in 1932.
It shows students climbing the stairs of the Bauhaus school, a German art school that shut down in 1933 after the Nazis took power. All but one of the figures walk away from the viewer, giving a sense of movement. The painting was created with oil paint, allowing Schlemmer to model the forms subtly.
You can see it at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
Overview
Bauhaus Stairway, completed in 1932 by German painter Oskar Schlemmer, portrays a group of students ascending a staircase within the Bauhaus school building. The composition is rendered in oil on canvas and is currently exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. The work captures a moment of collective movement, with most figures turning their backs to the viewer.
Subject & Meaning
The painting records everyday life at the Bauhaus, a progressive art and design institution that would close a year later under Nazi rule. By showing students in motion, Schlemmer emphasizes the school's emphasis on collaboration, discipline, and the integration of art with functional activity. The lone figure facing forward creates a subtle focal point, hinting at individual presence amid collective effort.
Technique & Style
Schlemmer employs oil paint to achieve soft modeling of the figures and the architectural space, allowing gradual tonal shifts that suggest depth and light. The palette is restrained, focusing attention on form rather than decorative detail. The composition balances geometric clarity of the stairwell with the fluidity of the human bodies, reflecting the Bauhaus interest in merging abstraction with the human figure.
History & Provenance
Created shortly before the Bauhaus was forced to shut down in 1933, the work reflects the institution’s final years. After changing hands through private collections, the painting entered the Museum of Modern Art’s holdings, where it has been on public view since its acquisition. Its provenance traces the turbulent political climate that displaced many Bauhaus artists and their works.
Context
Schlemmer was a central figure in the Bauhaus’s theatre and dance workshops, and this painting extends his exploration of the human body as a geometric form. The piece aligns with the school’s interdisciplinary ethos, linking visual art, architecture, and performance. Its creation during the Weimar Republic’s decline adds a layer of historical urgency to the otherwise serene scene.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Oskar Schlemmer (German pronunciation:; 4 September 1888 – 13 April 1943) was a German painter, sculptor, designer and choreographer associated with the Bauhaus school.
