The current exhibition at the Germanic Museum consists of works by the great German impressionist, Levis Corinth. Corinth, along with Slevogt and Liebermann, led the revolt in Germany against aenemic classicism and romanticism of late nineteenth century German academic painting.

These three men sought the realities of nature and instantaneous vision. Of the three Liebermann alone remained true to the impressionist manifesto. Slevogt wandered off into Rococo day dreams and Corinth soon became tired of mere surface reality and tried to probe beneath.

Corinth Was Curious

Corinth's interest in inner significance was a healthy, animal-like curiosity. Indeed, there is much of the animal in his work just as there is in that of Rubens. The German had enormous physical strength and unlimited energy.

In his personal life as well as in his art, he was essentially masculine, vigorous, almost brutal at times. In Berlin, where by lived all of his life, he became famous for his outspoken tales at polite dinner parties.

In the prints, drawings, watercolours, and oils exhibited at the Germanic Museum, one can see clearly the richness of the imagination of this artist and his enormous creative facility. The brilliant pigment is broadly handled and fluid in the manner of the impressionists but with a depth of vision never attained by them.