Lovis Corinth. Then came Berlin!

The significance of Lovis Corinth (1858–1925) for Modernism can hardly be overstated. Even during his lifetime, the painter was among the most prominent figures in the Berlin art scene. Born and raised in Tapiau, East Prussia, he moved from Munich to the imperial capital in 1900. At that time, Berlin was already significantly more progressive than the Bavarian residence city. Corinth is said to have commented on his success story on the Spree: “It didn’t take off until Berlin.”

The exhibition and catalog focus on Corinth’s career and his major influence on the city’s art scene, but also on his influential private environment. Less familiar themes illustrate how modern the artist's painting, life, and thinking were: Corinth’s painting school, where he primarily taught women, and his work for the Berlin theater.

Lovis Corinth (1858–1925) is considered one of the most important representatives of German Impressionism. Born in East Prussia, the painter studied in Königsberg, Munich, and Paris before rising to become a leading figure of the Berlin Secession. His extensive oeuvre ranges from portraits and nude painting to landscapes. At the beginning of the 20th century, he became one of the most important representatives of Modernism.