Max Klinger was once celebrated as the German Rodin - despite all the stylistic differences that characterise the work of the sculptor, painter and graphic artist as a unique contribution to the art of Symbolism. Posthumously appropriated by the National Socialists, the artist was unjustly forgotten, but more recently, a great rediscovery is emerging.
(...) Continue readingMax Klinger - An extraordinary artistic talent became apparent early on
Max Klinger was born in Leipzig on 18th February 1857. The second eldest son of a soap maker, he already showed great artistic talent during his school years and was strongly encouraged by his father, who himself would have liked to pursue a career as a painter. In 1875, he therefore began studies in Karlsruhe with Ludwig Des Coudres - during his time as a student, he also made a name for himself with his talent for the piano. In Berlin, he continued his training under Karl Gussow; at this time, the young painter regarded Adolph Menzel as his artistic role model. He completed his studies with honours in 1876. In 1878, Klinger travelled to Paris and visited the World Exhibition and that same year, took part in the 52nd exhibition of the Royal Academy of Arts in Berlin with his painting Spaziergänger or Der Überfall. In 1881, Max Klinger opened his first studio in Berlin.
Fruitful study trips and artist friendships
For a time, Max Klinger became friends with the Swiss artist Karl Stauffer-Bern, but they later went their separate ways. An important commission, which inspired Klinger to create numerous designs, was the decoration of the Steglitz villa of Julius Albers, a civil servant. During this time, he also made the fruitful acquaintance of the art historian Alfred Lichtwark. During an extended stay in Paris, he studied the works of Honoré Daumier and Francisco de Goya in the Louvre, whilst Pierre Puvis de Chavannes became an important role model. In Berlin he met Arnold Böcklin, and took further trips to Rome and Munich, where he had his first solo exhibition in 1891 and was accepted into the Academy of Fine Arts. In 1892, he was one of the founding members of Group XI, which was involved in fierce disputes with the Berlin Artists' Association. On his numerous travels, he became friends with Otto Greiner, moved into various luxurious studios and began a long-term affair with the Austrian writer Elsa Asenijeff, who frequently modelled for him for paintings and sculptures.
The second half of his career was dedicated to sculpture
Max Klinger was enthusiastic about literature throughout his life and drew inspiration from it in many ways. His work is characterised by numerous allusions that can only be understood by an educated middle-class audience. In the second half of his artistic career, Klinger shifted his focus away from painting and towards sculpture, and created numerous busts of famous personalities, including Friedrich Nitzsche, Franz Liszt, Richard Wagner and Richard Strauss. Max Klinger received prizes and honours for his work, especially on the occasion of his 60th birthday, often also posthumously, whilst several places in Leipzig are named after him and an asteroid also bears his name. For Giorgio de Chirico, Klinger was the artist par excellence, not only because of his work, but above all because of his multi-faceted artistic personality.
Max Klinger died in Großjena on 4th July 1920.
Max Klinger - Works that have already been sold at Kunsthaus Lempertz:
