Margarete Kubicka

Margarete Kubicka at the Berlinische Galerie.

Because women were not permitted to study fine art, Margarete Kubicka trained to become an art teacher at the Royal Art Academy in Berlin from 1911 to 1913. 

This series of watercolours from 1925 is a typical example of Kubicka's approach to form that

encompasses elements of Expessionism and Constructivism. They are based on Alfred Doeblin's 1916 novel The Three Leaps of Wang Lun. Set in 18th century China, the novel tells the story of Wang-Lun, who followed the religious philosophy of Taoism and its teachings of Wu Wei, literally non-action or non-doing. In his fight against the government and the custodians of the state religion, Wang was transformed into the leader of an armed insurrection. After the revolt was suppressed, he found his way back to the principle of non-action. Kubicka evidently saw parallels with her own political views.