C.O. Paeffgen

C. O. Paeffgen (Claus Otto Paeffgen, 1933 Cologne - 2019, Cologne) was a painter as well as a sculptor and achieved fame in the 1980s.

The Cologne native first studied law before turning to art. Paeffgen achieved his breakthrough with his 'Umwickelungen,' sculptures in which the artist traced the outlines of objects with wire. Many paintings by C. O. Paeffgen are reminiscent of so-called Naive painting, a movement in painting that reduced animals, objects, representations of people, etc. to their essentials.

Paeffgen's works have been shown in various exhibitions, such as the Kunstpalast in Düsseldorf and the Nationalgalerie in Berlin. His works are also in renowned collections, including the Federal Art Collection of the FRG or the Von der Heydt Museum Wuppertal.