Max Liebermann

Max Böhm, Berlin (acquired by 1930. Sale: Rudolph Lepke Kunst-Auktion-Haus, Berlin, Auktion der Sammlung Max Böhm, 28th January 1931, lot 26, illustrated, as Stauden im Garten zu Wannsee, incorrectly listed as oil on canvas, sold for 3,600 Marks)
Mr Mendel, Germany (brought to the United States circa 1938-40)
Estate of Marianne Mendel, widow of the above
Mrs Ruth Alexander, Rego Park, New York (inherited from the above in 1983)
Private Collection, New York (inherited from the above in 2008)
Acquired from the above by the present owner

Berlin, Preussische Akademie der Künste, Sammlung Max Böhm, 1930, no. 26

Weltkunst, vol. 5, no. 5, 1st February 1931, listed p. 6
Holly Prentiss Richardson, Landscape in the Work of Max Liebermann, Phil. Dissertation, Brown University, publ. Ann Arbor, Michigan, 1991, vol. II, p. 276, no. 793
Matthias Eberle, Max Liebermann. Werkverzeichnis der Gemälde und Ölstudien, Munich, 1996, vol. II, p. 983, no. 1919/11, illustrated p. 983 (with incorrect medium)

The board is stable. There is some minor frame rubbing at the extreme edges. Apart from an area and surrounding tiny spots of retouching in the dark blue-green pigment in the upper right, and several small spots of retouching in the lower right corner, visible under ultra-violet light, this work is in good condition. Colours: Overall fairly accurate in the printed catalogue illustration, although stronger in the original, especially in the greens.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

The present work depicts Max Liebermann's beloved garden at Wannsee in Berlin (fig. 1), a subject that provided him with an endless source of inspiration during the last decades of his life. Having attained considerable recognition as an artist, followed by financial success, Liebermann commissioned a villa in 1909, sparing no expense on its formal flower beds, exotic shrubs and thick hedges. The Wannsee villa became the painter's summer residence, and the works from this period show his garden in all its glory. Within this series, the artist rendered his subject from various angles, sometimes focusing on the carefully cultivated flower beds, meticulously arranged in geometric formations, while at other times representing the famous rose garden or poplar trees. In the present work, he painted a close-up view of the flower shrubs surrounding a narrow pathway, fascinated by their wild, spontaneous growth during the summer months.

 

Liebermann's practice of painting en plein air, and his method of exploring the same subject from a variety of viewpoints, confirm his status as the most important German post-Impressionist artist. Like Claude Monet, who never tired of painting his flower garden at Giverny, Liebermann found a constant source of inspiration in his Wannsee garden. Whilst in some depictions of the garden he concentrated on recreating its geometric pattern, dividing his composition into clearly delineated circular shapes and straight lines, here he chose a more Impressionistic approach with looser, more spontaneous brushwork, concentrating on the contrast of light and shade. In Blumenstauden im Wannseegarten the sense of depth is achieved through the partially sunlit path, leading the viewer's eye from the bright, vibrant flower bushes towards the deep shadows in the background.

 

Fig. 1, Liebermann's garden in Wannsee, circa 1911