Boats in the Bay

1907–1912

Summers at Dangast

From 1907 to 1912 he spends the summers on the coast at Dangast, near Bremen, drawing a great deal; within the group he is regarded as a loner.

1911–1912

Journeys to Norway, Italy, Paris and Dalmatia

In 1911 he travels to Norway, and in 1912 he makes trips to Italy, Paris and Dalmatia.

1912

Friendship with Lyonel Feininger

In Berlin he meets Lyonel Feininger, and a friendship begins.

1912

The Sonderbund exhibition in Cologne

He takes part in the Sonderbund exhibition in Cologne.

1913

The dissolution of Die Brücke

The group dissolves, largely because of its members' independent moves to Berlin and a shift in each one's artistic direction. Schmidt-Rottluff adopts more subdued colouring and places greater emphasis on draughtsmanship: dark, contrasting lines between shapes instead of the juxtaposed colours that had been the norm.

1915–1918

A soldier on the Eastern Front

From 1915 to 1918 he serves as a soldier on the Eastern Front, in Russia and Lithuania; the experience hardly shows in his art, but while serving in Lithuania he turns increasingly to religious subjects.