Born in Dresden in 1876, Paula Becker early discovered her love for art and culture. At sixteen, she moved to England to study English and housekeeping, yet her homesickness had her returning to Germany soon. There she began to train as a teacher at her parent's request, while also trying to fulfill her dream of becoming a painter. Since she wasn't accepted into the Berlin art academy, she attended drawing classes and honed her technical skills. She joined the art commune of Worpswede, and in 1899, she made a fateful study trip to Paris. There she met Otto Modersohn, whom she married in 1901. Artist Clara Westhoff and writer Rainer Maria Rilke became her like-minded friends, yet despite her vast talent the significance of Paula Becker's paintings was only recognized after her premature death in 1907. Today, she is hailed as one of the most important progenitors of expressionism.