Marianne von Werefkin (1860–1938) was a Russian-born painter and one of the most compelling voices of early Expressionism. Born into an aristocratic family in Tula, Russia, she received formal artistic training in St. Petersburg and studied under the celebrated realist Ilya Repin. Her early work reflected strong academic discipline, but her artistic path changed dramatically after she moved to Munich in the 1890s with fellow painter Alexej von Jawlensky. In Munich, Werefkin became a central figure in avant-garde circles, hosting influential gatherings that brought together artists and thinkers shaping modern art. After years devoted largely to theory, mentorship, and supporting Jawlensky’s career, she returned fully to painting and developed a highly personal style marked by bold color, emotional intensity, and symbolic atmosphere. Her work helped define the spiritual and psychological direction of German Expressionism, and she was associated with the circle that gave rise to the Blue Rider movement. Later, she settled in Ascona, Switzerland, where she continued painting despite financial hardship. Today, Marianne von Werefkin is recognized not only as a gifted painter, but also as a visionary modernist whose ideas and art helped transform European painting.