DOI Heft:
No. 137 (August, 1904)
DOI Artikel:Lütticke, A. E.: The work of Max Liebermann
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.19882#0235
Max Liebermann
principles of the Impressionists, which, by making are depicted with marvellous reality. After a visit
details subordinate to general impressions, and by to the Tyrol, Liebermann produced a religious
stimulating the imagination of the onlooker, have subject representing The Boy Christ in the Temple,
succeeded in producing the effect of life and move- striving to picture the incident after a simple and
ment to an extraordinary extent. The toilers in natural manner, free from any religious sentiment,
every-day life, as they are repeatedly portrayed on but purely from its human side. Judged in this way
canvas by Liebermann, whether it be in the potato- the work is powerful, the grouping of the figures
field or in a barn with low-raftered ceiling, at the being excellent; but it was denounced as profane,
spinning-wheel or forge, are always true to life; and and he has never again attempted anything of the
the monotonous, regular movements of the workers, kind, although other artists have done so. At one
as each performs his allotted task, are indicated in ime there was a perfect rage for treating religious
such a natural, realistic manner that one can almost subjects in this way, many of the figures being
imagine the busy fingers to be moving. No obtrusive clothed in modern dress.
detail disturbs the consistency of the whole, which, Although most of the subjects for this artist's
although full of pulsating life, produces the effect works are taken from Holland and its people, many
of a mind-killing monotony. It is no insipid re- were actually executed in Munich, where he re-
flection of life which he shows, but the life itself, sided off and on before finally settling down in
with all its pathetic sternness. Berlin. Each one of these Dutch scenes depicts
Most of Liebermann's
works are sombre in
colour and effect; in
fact, poor folk working
under grey skies pro-
duce a depressing, almost
melancholy, impression,
but that does not alter the
undeniable fact that they
are true representations ..V :
of actualities. The Tur- - .
nip Field, although per- .
haps not the artist's first
work of the kind, gave
early evidence of his de-
sire to represent the hard-
est side of human life in
all its monotonous activity.
Painted about the year
1876, this is a striking
work, both in its simple
lines of composition and
in the natural positions of
the toilers in the fore-
ground as they hoe, dig,
or rest from their labours.
Brother and Sister is a
small work in which the
artist's talent for denoting
movement is particularly y ',
apparent. A clumsy *^^^5^^I^BbHpWBHBPBS^^^^^''
Dutch girl of some twelve IrffifBfflff^^
years is carrying her baby
brother ; the strenuous
efforts of the girl to hold - -...........- -.........-..........-
the heavy, restless child portrait of professor rudolf virchow by max liebermann
211
principles of the Impressionists, which, by making are depicted with marvellous reality. After a visit
details subordinate to general impressions, and by to the Tyrol, Liebermann produced a religious
stimulating the imagination of the onlooker, have subject representing The Boy Christ in the Temple,
succeeded in producing the effect of life and move- striving to picture the incident after a simple and
ment to an extraordinary extent. The toilers in natural manner, free from any religious sentiment,
every-day life, as they are repeatedly portrayed on but purely from its human side. Judged in this way
canvas by Liebermann, whether it be in the potato- the work is powerful, the grouping of the figures
field or in a barn with low-raftered ceiling, at the being excellent; but it was denounced as profane,
spinning-wheel or forge, are always true to life; and and he has never again attempted anything of the
the monotonous, regular movements of the workers, kind, although other artists have done so. At one
as each performs his allotted task, are indicated in ime there was a perfect rage for treating religious
such a natural, realistic manner that one can almost subjects in this way, many of the figures being
imagine the busy fingers to be moving. No obtrusive clothed in modern dress.
detail disturbs the consistency of the whole, which, Although most of the subjects for this artist's
although full of pulsating life, produces the effect works are taken from Holland and its people, many
of a mind-killing monotony. It is no insipid re- were actually executed in Munich, where he re-
flection of life which he shows, but the life itself, sided off and on before finally settling down in
with all its pathetic sternness. Berlin. Each one of these Dutch scenes depicts
Most of Liebermann's
works are sombre in
colour and effect; in
fact, poor folk working
under grey skies pro-
duce a depressing, almost
melancholy, impression,
but that does not alter the
undeniable fact that they
are true representations ..V :
of actualities. The Tur- - .
nip Field, although per- .
haps not the artist's first
work of the kind, gave
early evidence of his de-
sire to represent the hard-
est side of human life in
all its monotonous activity.
Painted about the year
1876, this is a striking
work, both in its simple
lines of composition and
in the natural positions of
the toilers in the fore-
ground as they hoe, dig,
or rest from their labours.
Brother and Sister is a
small work in which the
artist's talent for denoting
movement is particularly y ',
apparent. A clumsy *^^^5^^I^BbHpWBHBPBS^^^^^''
Dutch girl of some twelve IrffifBfflff^^
years is carrying her baby
brother ; the strenuous
efforts of the girl to hold - -...........- -.........-..........-
the heavy, restless child portrait of professor rudolf virchow by max liebermann
211