Max Liebermann (German, 1847–1935) Lot n° 50

Café Scene, Signed 'M. Liebermann' bottom left, pastel with pencil on paper Sheet size: 5 1/2 x 8 3/4 in. (14 x 22.2cm)Paul Cassirer, Berlin, Germany. Private Collection, Pennsylvania. NOTE: Known as the "Manet of the Germans," Max Liebermann favored an Impressionist style in his work. As Barbara C. Gilbert notes, "In his lifetime, he was often viewed through the lens of German nationalism and condemned for his open acceptance of French modern art [although he] helped to pave the way for the acceptance of modernist painting in Germany" (Barbara C. Gilbert, ed., Max Liebermann, From Realism to Impressionism, Los Angeles, 2005, p. 56). His achievements included co-founding "Die Gruppe XI" and the avant-garde "Berlin Secession," and serving as President of the Prussian Academy for the Arts. However, Liebermann's paintings were removed from museums and featured in several exhibitions of "degenerate art" in the 1930s (Gilbert, op. cit., pp. 144). Liebermann displayed an early talent for art, taking drawing lessons from Eduard Holbein and Carl von Steffeck before attending the Weimar Academy of Art. The subjects in his art include landscapes, portraits, peasant life, as well as scenes of urban bourgeoisie German society at leisure, as in Café Scene. Also, as in the present lot, the artist worked "in the medium of pastel, which allowed greater spontaneity than oil paint." (Gilbert, op. cit., p. 39). We wish to thank Dr. Margreet Nouwen for confirming the authenticity of the present lot, which will will be accompanied by a Letter of Authenticity.