Interview with Théo Wildanger’s Daughter by Victoria Erisman
Theodore (Théo) Wildanger (1905-1989) was a painter born in Aumetz, France. His paintings combine Expressionist tendencies with a Post-Impressionist sensibility. He had a strong interest in the arts, and once he married his wife Anna and moved to Paris with her, he found work at an Italian count’s gallery. Théo began painting later in life, after his wife died. His vibrant paintings demonstrate his passion for life and for nature. He told stories with his art, communicating vividly across all languages.
Victoria Erisman recently interviewed Théo’s daughter, Catherine, about her father and his art in relation to his work in the Linda Matney Gallery’s current exhibition The Task That Is The Toil and also in advance of a planned virtual exhibition focusing solely on Théo.
Victoria: Could you tell me about your relationship with Théo and his art?
Catherine: Théo was unconventional, totally unconventional. And when my mother died, he literally went to pieces. He took up painting after that. He promoted my brother, Mathis Wildanger, because my mother wanted him to be a painter and he was good. My brother went to the academy in Rome at the age of 16, and then after that, he studied under Johnny Friedlaender in Paris. But then when he became known and his art sold very, very well, he and my father didn't get along any more.
My father then moved to Brussels and had a little antique store there. And he went to the flea market and picked up stuff and sold it to the tourists and whoever else around the Grand Place in Brussels, which is a fabulously, beautiful part of town.
Meanwhile, I grew up and got married to an American boy and I came with him to the United States. My dad lived in his little antique store and I felt like he should be living with me. So, we saw to it that he joined us in the United States.
And then a few years later, we were sent back to Germany, to Frankfurt, and my dad came with us and he painted good things there. And he had an exhibit at Langen bei Frankfurt/Main that was very well received. After four years in Frankfurt, we came back to the states, to Washington DC, where he met a Huguenot pastor. And through this pastor, he was able to do an exhibit with Le Cercle Francais.
Untitled, ca. 1970, oil on particle board. VIEW ON ARTSY
Then we moved to the country and into a 300 year old house on an ancient plantation in Elam, but we were not in the big house. We were in the overseer’s house and Théo had a little cabin behind the house, the summer kitchen as they call it. And that's where he had the studio and my husband and I, we were in Norfolk, he was the anchor at the television station in Norfolk. So anyway, during the week we were in Norfolk and weekends, we’d commute about 150 miles. But Théo during the week was busy with his art. And we thought that was capital because then he wouldn’t get lonely. And he wasn’t lonely. He loved animals, he had dogs and cats. He loved
nature, he loved nature. So that's where his ashes are today.
He became too weak to be out there. And so his last year, he lived in Farmville at an assisted living home. He was very happy there. And I'm sorry he couldn't have stayed there long because well, he, he died. But he was full of life to the end.
This was in 1989, the same year the wall came down in Berlin. He always wanted to become an American citizen and he was going to get the citizenship and I had translated all the questions for him. His English was pitiful. So everything was ready to go. And then, you know, like that, another turn.
After that I went through everything that he painted. My daughter, Caroline took a picture of everything that he did with an old camera. In 1993, we had a big exhibit in Norfolk at the Harbor Gallery. It was almost a sellout. I mean, it was amazing. Quite amazing.
My husband Jim retired and we lived at Elam until 2006. We sold the farm because he was getting on in years. And so we moved to Farmville and Théo had given a big chunk of these paintings to the city of Farmville. And they didn't know what to do with them. And so my daughter, and her husband, had a bike shop on Main Street in Farmville and the city manager said to Caroline, we have many of your grandfather's paintings. And he returned them to us. But Théo’s wish was to share his art.
Blue Judge and Christ, ca. 1975, oil on canvas board. VIEW ON ARTSY
Victoria: Théo’s piece in the current exhibition, The Task That is The Toil, is called Blue Judge and Christ. What do you know about this painting’s background?
Catherine: It’s speculative. I think it’s Théo’s idea of the common man in front of a temple of justice and higher justice, which Christ represents. And on the sides of Christ, there are candles. But if you really look at them, you notice they are angels.
Victoria: Yes, it’s a beautiful effect that he had with that.
Catherine: So I think that’s what it is. It’s the common man, conflicted by things beyond his power.
Victoria: I know Théo had an interest in politics and justice, and intersections or a lack-thereof. Did ideas of politics and justice tie into religion at all for Théo?
Catherine: That’s exactly what it is.
Théo explored in art his complex relationship with politics and religion that arose from growing up during World War I and living through World War II. In spite of his difficult childhood and , he ultimately used his art to portray the joy and happiness of his life with Anna, his family, and his later, treasured years at Elam. He himself said, “Dans l’art et le reve, tout est permis.”
ART AND DREAMS HAVE NO BOUNDS