Ludwig von Hofmann German, 1861-1945

Painted circa 1910.

Ludwig von Hofmann's mesmerising paintings and watercolours defy categorisation, forming a unique synthesis of elements borrowed from classical antiquity, symbolism, and art nouveau. Central to his vision is the harmonious symbiosis between man and nature, his pictures peopled by ethereal figures dancing or bathing in timeless arcadian landscapes. His pictures are remarkably expressive, not only on account of the grandeur of the compositions, but by virtue of their luminous, vivid colours.

Von Hofmann was a pupil of Ferdinand Keller at the Karlsruhe Academy, and in 1889 furthered his training at the Académie Julian in Paris, where he was strongly influenced by the Nabis Maurice Denis and Pierre Puvis de Chavannes. During the 1890s in Berlin he was a co-founder, along with Max Liebermann, of the Gruppe der XI and of the Berlin Secession. Throughout his life he fostered close contact with Hans von Marées, Arnold Böcklin, Max Klinger, the dramatist Gerhart Hauptmann, and the author Thomas Mann, who owned a painting by Hofmann and mentioned his work in his seminal novel The Magic Mountain. From 1903 until 1916 he taught at the Weimar School of Art, during which time he also received numerous public commissions. In 1916 he went on to teach at the Dresden Academy for fifteen years, before concentrating on book illustrating and print making.

The Ludwig von Hofmann Archive and Collection was founded by  Peter H. R. Hüssy to research and promote the work of Hofmann and make it available to scholars and the public. The archive is made up of some 600 works by Hofmann along with a comprehensive library, archival documents, and Hofmann's correspondence. This and the following lot are sold to preserve this valuable resource.

Further details of the Ludwig von Hofmann Archive and Collection can be found at www.lvh.ch.