Life and Artistic Journey
Born in Třebušice, Czech Republic, Rut Kohn grew up in Prague as one of six siblings. After studying at the pedagogical college in Prague between 1953 and 1957, she worked as a teacher in Karlovy Vary and later in Prague. Following political difficulties in the 1950s and 1960s, she emigrated to Germany in 1967 with her husband, Pavel Kohn, and their two children. Settling in the Rottal region, she was able to further her development as a painter and illustrator.
Her career has been marked by significant recognition, including receiving the Seerosenpreis from the City of Munich in 1991. In 2006, she was honored by the Czech state as a Significant Czech Woman in the World. Her work has been exhibited in numerous international locations, including Basel, Berlin, Paris, Salzburg, and Prague.
Technique and Subject Matter
Rut Kohn’s artistic practice encompasses drawings on paper, watercolors, and oil painting. A distinctive aspect of her technique involves a self-developed method using colored pencils on plywood, where she integrates the natural surface texture of the wood into her compositions. Her subjects often include:
Beyond her fine art, she is a prolific illustrator for books and calendars. Her illustrations have accompanied works such as the German edition of Johann Amos Comenius's The Labyrinth of the World and the bilingual edition of Karel Jaromír Erben's Kytice. Her work is held in the Bavarian State Painting Collections in Munich and in various private collections.
