This comprehensive retrospective showcases central works from several creative periods of Hermann Max Pechstein (1881–1955). In addition to Dresden and Berlin, fishing villages on the Baltic coast were among his most important places of work. His works were presented to Berlin audiences from 1913 onwards at the Kunstsalon Fritz Gurlitt. Wolfgang Gurlitt, who has owned the gallery since 1907, also supported Pechstein's journey to the South Seas. On the Palau Islands, the expressionist painter sought a life in harmony with nature, but World War I ended his adventure prematurely. After the war, Pechstein found new creative energy in Berlin. In 1937, over 500 of his works were confiscated by the Nazis as part of the "Degenerate Art" campaign. Motifs from his South Seas voyage, painted from memory, reappeared in his late work in luminous colors. A Linz-specific focus illuminates Pechstein's special relationship with Gurlitt. Over 100 works, including portraits, Baltic Sea paintings, and South Seas motifs, are being shown in Austria for the first time in this exhibition. Opening: April 22, 2026, at 7:00 PM
About the exhibition
