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Lovis Corinth

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description Lovis Corinth Overview

Lovis Corinth (1858-1925) was a German painter and printmaker whose work bridges Impressionism and Expressionism. He studied at the Academy of Fine Arts Munich and later moved to Berlin, where he joined the Berlin Secession and eventually became its president. His work encompasses portraits, landscapes, religious scenes, and still lifes, with his later works becoming increasingly expressive after he suffered a stroke in 1911. He married his student Charlotte Berend, who became a frequent model and an artist in her own right.

His self-portraits, particularly those from his final years, are considered among his most significant works.

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How did Lovis Corinth's 1911 stroke change his painting?

After the stroke, Corinth's brushwork generally became looser and his color more forceful. His late portraits and Walchensee landscapes consequently stand closer to Expressionism than the controlled naturalism of his early career.

What was Lovis Corinth's role in the Berlin Secession?

Corinth joined the Berlin Secession, the progressive exhibition group associated with Max Liebermann. He later served as its president and became a central figure in Berlin's transition from nineteenth-century realism toward modernism.

Why did Lovis Corinth paint so many self-portraits?

Corinth repeatedly used his own aging body and face to examine identity, illness, and mortality. He continued the practice late in life, producing unusually direct records of his physical and stylistic transformation.

What are the Walchensee paintings by Lovis Corinth?

They are landscapes of Lake Walchen in Bavaria, where Corinth maintained a house from 1919. The series uses rapid brushwork and intense color to show the lake, mountains, weather, and changing seasons.