LIEBERMANN, MAX (1847-1935), German painter and etcher, was born in Berlin on July 20, 1847. After studying under Steffeck, he entered the. school of art at Weimar in 1869. Though the straightforward simplicity of his first exhibited picture, "Women plucking Geese" (Berlin, National gallery) in 1872, pre sented already a striking contrast to the conventional art then in vogue, it was heavy and bituminous in colour. In his course he was confirmed by Munkacsy's influence in Paris in 1872. A sum mer spent at Barbizon in 1873, where he became acquainted with Millet and studied the works of Corot, Troyon and Daubigny, resulted in the cleanng and brightening of his palette. He subse quently went to Holland, where the example of Israels confirmed him in the method he had adopted at Barbizon; on his return to Munich in 1878 he caused much unfavourable criticism by his realistic painting of "Christ in the Temple," which was con demned by the clergy as irreverent. Henceforth he devoted him self exclusively to the study of light and to the painting of the life of humble folk. He found his best subjects in the orphanages and asylums for the old in Amsterdam, among the peasants in the fields and village streets of Holland, and in the beer-gardens, fac tories and workrooms of his own country.
Liebermann did for his country what Millet did for France. His pictures hold the fragrance of the soil and the breezes of the heavens. His people move in their proper atmosphere and their life is stated in all its monotonous simplicity. His work be
ing at variance with the academic tradition he became the leader of the Secession. His first success was a medal awarded him for "An Asylum for Old Men" at the 1881 salon. Then followed "The Cobbler's Shop" 0880 and "The Flax Spinners" (5887) both of which are now in the National gallery, Berlin. In 1884 he settled in Berlin, where he became president of the Academy. He became a member of the Societe rationale des Beaux Arts, of the Soci ete royale belge des Aquarellistes, and of the Cercle des Aquarel listes at The Hague and a corresponding member of the Institut de France. Liebermann is represented in most of the German and other continental galleries. The new section of the National gallery in the former palace of the crown prince contains a rep resentative collection of his work showing his development ; the Munich Staatsgalerie, "The Woman with Goats"; the Hamburg gallery, "The Net-Menders"; the Hanover gallery, the "Village Street in Holland." "The Seamstress" is at the Dresden gallery; the "Man on the Dunes" at Leipzig; "Dutch Orphan Girls" at Strasbourg; "Beer-cellar at Brandenburg" at the Luxembourg museum in Paris, and the "Knopflerinnen" in Venice. Among his portraits are those of F. Maunann, Gerhart Hauptmann and E. Meyer. His etchings are to be found in the leading print rooms of Europe. In 1933 he elected, as a Jew, to leave Germany.