Max
Liebermann

This vibrant garden scene achieved Liebermann's current auction record when it sold at Sotheby's London in February 2006, more than doubling its high estimate of £900,000. The painting (as the translated title suggests, “Flowering perennials in front of the gardener's house to the north”) depicts lush flower beds in front of the gardener's house at Liebermann's beloved Wannsee Villa, which he had purchased in 1909. The property represented a significant milestone in Liebermann's personal and artistic development, providing him with a sanctuary that would become his primary subject matter. Created during a period when he was already an established artist and president of the Berlin Secession, this work exemplifies his mature Impressionist style with its vibrant colours and confident brushwork. The painting demonstrates Liebermann's sophisticated understanding of light and colour, skills he had developed through decades of artistic evolution from his earlier, darker realist works.

Selling at Galerie Kornfeld Auktionen AG in June 2022 for four times its estimate, this exceptional example of Liebermann's garden paintings showcases one of his most cherished motifs - the flower terrace that linked his villa with the lawn stretching toward Lake Wannsee, which became a central subject in his later works. Each spring, Liebermann had these beds planted with yellow and blue pansies in geometric arrangements, creating striking colour compositions that perfectly suited his Impressionist approach. The flower terrace paintings hold particular significance as they often include the Otter Fountain by sculptor August Gaul, which Liebermann had given to his wife Martha as a Christmas present in 1909. This personal element transforms these works into intimate family documents as well as artistic achievements. Between 1910 and 1935, Liebermann created over 200 paintings capturing different aspects of the garden from varying perspectives and in different seasons.

This striking coastal scene, symbolising Liebermann’s profound connection to the Netherlands, sold at Sotheby's London in June 2015. It was created during his stay in Scheveningen and features two horseback riders conversing along the shoreline, embodying his fascination with Dutch coastal life and representing his earlier, more faithfully realistic style. Liebermann did, however, paint two nearly identical versions of this scene, the other using a style reminiscent of Edgar Degas and Édouard Manet, fellow artists he greatly admired. The painting exemplifies German Impressionism at its finest, showcasing Liebermann's ability to capture fleeting moments of leisure with loose, vibrant brushwork. This work is particularly significant because it represents Liebermann's mature style after his evolution from his earlier, darker realist works like Women Plucking Geese (1872), which had earned him the unflattering title "apostle of the ugly" from critics who rejected his unidealised portrayal of working women.