Max Liebermann

Jablonsky, New York
Galerie Rosenbach, Hannover
Sale: Lempertz, Cologne, 31st May 1960, lot 225
Sale: Weinmüller, Munich, 16th March 1961, lot 1070
Sale: Lempertz, Cologne, 28th April 1972, lot 551
Galerie Artina, Paris
B. Gerald Cantor, New York (acquired from the above on 4th October 1972)
Private Collection, USA
Estate of the above (sold: Sotheby's, New York, 2nd November 2005, lot 49)
Acquired by the present owner in 2005

Indianapolis, Museum of Art, 1973 (on loan)

Weltkunst, vol. XXXI, no. 4, Munich, 1961, illustrated p. 19
Matthias Eberle, Max Liebermann, Werkverzeichnis der Gemälde und Ölstudien, Munich, 1996, vol. II, no. 1921/37, illustrated p. 1044

The canvas is unlined. There are some very fine lines of retouching covering hairlines of craquelure, mainly in the blue pigment of the water, visible under ultraviolet light. The original thick impasto is well preserved and the work is in very good condition. Colours: Overall fairly accurate in the printed catalogue illustration, although slightly richer and more contrasted in the original.
"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."

According to Dr Matthias Eberle, Gartenlokal an der Havel unter Bäumen, also known as Gartenrestaurant an der Havel, depicts one of the beer gardens on the Wannsee lake, just a few kilometres southwest of Berlin. Liebermann painted scenes of the lake's restaurants and cafés several times, but only five paintings of this particular venue are recorded. Each of these paintings is signed but not dated. Eberle has concluded that this painting was completed in the summer of 1921, around the same time as a related etching titled Kaffeegarten (Gustav Schiefler, Max Liebermann. Sein graphisches Werk, Berlin, 1923, no. 358).

 

Liebermann bought his house by the Wannsee in 1910. The gardens of his home and the bustling crowds of Berliners in the outdoor cafés along the lake were the key subjects of his art. The fashionable crowd sits under a canopy of trees while the billowing sails of the yachts tack along the lake behind them. The scene of urbanites spending their summer weekends in the open air, engaged in conversation, and the interest in yachting is reminiscent of the French Impressionists' focus on the rising leisure class and the increased mobility of Parisians at the end of the 19th century. The lively gathering, vibrant, sun-lit colours and spontaneous Post-Impressionist brushstrokes through which the scene is rendered emphasise Liebermann's life-affirming vision that endured until the end of his long career.