Friedrich Deneken

In 1881, he returned to Berlin to study with Ernst Curtius and presented his thesis on the theme of Theoxenia (offering hospitality to a God in disguise), which earned him his PhD.

After that, he turned to art history and worked at the Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe Hamburg.

He was also involved in an effort to establish a collaboration between local industries and artists or craftsmen; such as Peter Behrens, Henry van de Velde, Otto Eckmann and Joseph Maria Olbrich.

Later, he became one of the founders of the Deutscher Werkbund and campaigned for the establishment of a Kunstgewerbeschule in Krefeld.

He served as a delegate to numerous major art exhibitions.