DOI issue:
No. 81 (December, 1899)
DOI article:Gronau, Georg: Wilhelm Leibl
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.19783#0192
PVilhelm Leibl
transferred to canvas what
he saw. He never thought
of discovering good quali-
ties in the persons who sat
as models to him, nor of
attracting the public by
anything else but sheer
artistic worth. He en-
deavoured to reproduce
most faithfully what he ob-
served, or, rather, he was
impelled to do so by his
genius. It is owing to this
that his paintings possess
that probability which at-
tracts and convinces. A
simple scene, a few figures
seated together, becomes a
typical picture. His paint-
ings have the same credi-
bility as documents. Leibl
at that time painted with
an impersonality which has
been 'the attribute of but
very few men of really
great genius. We do not
learn anything of the inner
life of the artist himself.
It is all truth, truth, truth !
One must again and
again observe with wonder
the acuteness of observa-
' THE LAST PENNY" BY WILHELM LEIBL
(By permission of S. Seeger, Esq.)
tion and the sureness of
hand acquired by Leibl
at this period. The
Only one thing was wanting—truth, that real strength smallest or the greatest subject was of equal value
which distinguishes the people of that country to him. The pattern of the dress worn by the
and naturally leads them to brutality. By far peasant women at church, the old ornament studded
the best artist of this group was Franz Defregger, with turquoises worn on their bosom-cloths by the
who popularised the type, and who—a very inter- girls, the flower on the hat of the young fellow,
esting point—although by birth a native of the interested him as much as the horny, toil-worn
Tyrol and of peasant origin, contributed more than hands, the smooth faces of the girls, or the early
any one else to disseminate false impressions of his wrinkles in the features of his men and women,
native land. It is said Leibl began his picture Die Nelke by
Thus sprang into existence a new variety of the completely finishing the carnation to its greatest
much-loved "genre picture." The painters did not perfection, like a miniature painter, before anything
want to observe, nor to express the truth, but simply else was put on his great canvas. Thus it happened
to tell a story for the family. It was possible, looking that he did not take sufficient note of the ensemble,
at the pictures, to make all sorts of reflections about that the picture was composed of details—certainly
the relations of the figures to each other, and this incomparably painted—and that acute critics ob-
amused the public. jected that the figures did not seem to be separ-
Nothing of the kind is to be found in Leibl's able. Thereupon the artist cut to fragments his
paintings. He came to the country as a dweller in wonderful painting, full of brilliant observation, the
cities, gifted with a clear and observing eye, and he work of years of industry, because he saw that the
169
transferred to canvas what
he saw. He never thought
of discovering good quali-
ties in the persons who sat
as models to him, nor of
attracting the public by
anything else but sheer
artistic worth. He en-
deavoured to reproduce
most faithfully what he ob-
served, or, rather, he was
impelled to do so by his
genius. It is owing to this
that his paintings possess
that probability which at-
tracts and convinces. A
simple scene, a few figures
seated together, becomes a
typical picture. His paint-
ings have the same credi-
bility as documents. Leibl
at that time painted with
an impersonality which has
been 'the attribute of but
very few men of really
great genius. We do not
learn anything of the inner
life of the artist himself.
It is all truth, truth, truth !
One must again and
again observe with wonder
the acuteness of observa-
' THE LAST PENNY" BY WILHELM LEIBL
(By permission of S. Seeger, Esq.)
tion and the sureness of
hand acquired by Leibl
at this period. The
Only one thing was wanting—truth, that real strength smallest or the greatest subject was of equal value
which distinguishes the people of that country to him. The pattern of the dress worn by the
and naturally leads them to brutality. By far peasant women at church, the old ornament studded
the best artist of this group was Franz Defregger, with turquoises worn on their bosom-cloths by the
who popularised the type, and who—a very inter- girls, the flower on the hat of the young fellow,
esting point—although by birth a native of the interested him as much as the horny, toil-worn
Tyrol and of peasant origin, contributed more than hands, the smooth faces of the girls, or the early
any one else to disseminate false impressions of his wrinkles in the features of his men and women,
native land. It is said Leibl began his picture Die Nelke by
Thus sprang into existence a new variety of the completely finishing the carnation to its greatest
much-loved "genre picture." The painters did not perfection, like a miniature painter, before anything
want to observe, nor to express the truth, but simply else was put on his great canvas. Thus it happened
to tell a story for the family. It was possible, looking that he did not take sufficient note of the ensemble,
at the pictures, to make all sorts of reflections about that the picture was composed of details—certainly
the relations of the figures to each other, and this incomparably painted—and that acute critics ob-
amused the public. jected that the figures did not seem to be separ-
Nothing of the kind is to be found in Leibl's able. Thereupon the artist cut to fragments his
paintings. He came to the country as a dweller in wonderful painting, full of brilliant observation, the
cities, gifted with a clear and observing eye, and he work of years of industry, because he saw that the
169