Life and Artistic Journey
Born in Ludwigshafen, Germany, Will Sohl initially pursued architecture at the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf after his father insisted on a path involving masonry. However, his passion for painting led him to shift his studies, eventually becoming a student of Heinrich Nauen. His academic pursuits were diverse, encompassing art history and archaeology through studies in Cologne, Zurich, and Berlin.
Sohl's career was marked by significant travels across Holland, Belgium, France, Yugoslavia, and the Baltic States. During his life, he also served as a stage designer for the Schauspielhaus Zürich and as a guest stage designer at the Nationaltheater Mannheim. His artistic output was deeply connected to his personal life; he famously created "artist books" for his wife, Ruth, which featured drawings, watercolors, and graphics, often with elaborately painted covers.
Style and Subject Matter
A practitioner of Expressionism, Sohl was particularly drawn to the landscapes of Sylt, a location he felt was created specifically for his work. His watercolors from this region are characterized by large-scale compositions and the use of strongly contrasting colors. He often captured the dramatic movement of nature, such as dark clouds racing across a bright blue sky or the specific hues of the sea and horizon.
His later work included collaborations with the architect Otto Bartning, where Sohl provided wall murals made of natural stone mosaics and stained glass windows for churches. His repertoire also included:
