All for Art! Max Liebermann between Strategy and Cultural Policy

How did the artist Max Liebermann (1847–1935) become such a prominent figure in cultural policy? Which strategies and networks took him from his studio to the top of the artists’ associations?

The exhibition “All for Art! Max Liebermann between Strategy and Cultural Policy” at the Liebermann Villa am Wannsee offers a fresh perspective on the artist, showcasing his evolution from a modernist pioneer to a strategic cultural politician. The exhibition is dedicated to a less well-known aspect of his work: his rise to become a central figure in the art world of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Liebermann had an international vision; he cultivated close contacts with artists at home and abroad, working tirelessly to raise the profile of modern movements. The exhibition explores how skillfully he exploited the mechanisms of the art world to achieve his goals: recognition of modern painting and the freedom of art.