Ilna (Caroline) Ewers-Wunderwald was a pioneering artist, traveler, and free spirit who defied social conventions. Born in Düsseldorf in 1875, she wore men’s clothing, kept her hair short, and pursued an independent artistic path at a time when women were barred from art academies.

Despite financial constraints, she traveled extensively to India, Colombia, and the Caribbean. She was also married to the author Hanns Heinz Ewers, though their relationship was as turbulent as it was artistically inspiring.

In 1902, the pair moved to Capri, a refuge for artists and anarchists, where they embraced a life of freedom, challenging bourgeois norms through nude photography and unconventional living. Their travels to India in 1910 profoundly influenced Ilna’s art, making her one of the first female artists to integrate Indian mythology into her work. Her intricate ink drawings fused Jugendstil with Eastern aesthetics, foreshadowing psychedelic art.

After divorcing Ewers in 1912, Ilna faded from public recognition. The New Objectivity movement in the 1920s left little room for her ornate style, and she withdrew to private circles. She later found love with sculptor Elly Unkelbach and moved to Lake Constance in 1940, distancing herself from Nazi Germany. Though she remained artistically active until her death in 1957, much of her work was forgotten.

Only in recent years has Ilna been rediscovered, leading to exhibitions in Berlin, Oldenburg, and elsewhere that have renewed interest in her work. Efforts are underway to name a street in her hometown of Düsseldorf after her. As art historians reevaluate her legacy, Ilna Ewers-Wunderwald emerges as a visionary ahead of her time—an artist who lived and created with fearless individuality. (ss)