Badende Knaben

1894

Death of his father Louis Liebermann

Shortly before, late feelings for his father had awakened in Liebermann and the old disagreements had receded; after their reconciliation, the parting was especially hard. He became one of the heirs to a millionaire's fortune and the owner of the mansion on Pariser Platz — the police allowed the studio under its roof only in 1896, through the intervention of the minister of public works Karl von Thielen.

1896

To Paris with Hugo von Tschudi: Manet's “Winter Garden” and Degas

The new director of the Old National Gallery, Hugo von Tschudi, took Liebermann to Paris as an adviser on acquisitions; he talked Tschudi out of buying Manet's “Winter Garden”, fearing that even a naturalistic picture could cause a scandal in Berlin at the time. Through Tschudi Liebermann met Edgar Degas, and with the Prussian government's consent he was made a knight of the Legion of Honour.

1896

Oxford and London: Whistler

Liebermann spent ten days in Oxford, where his brother Felix was awarded an honorary doctorate, and in London he met James McNeill Whistler, whose etchings in the manner of the old masters made a great impression on him.

1897

Jubilee exhibition for his 50th birthday at the Academy

For his half-century the Academy of Arts gave Liebermann an entire hall: 30 paintings, 9 drawings, 3 lithographs and 19 etchings. He was awarded a large gold medal and the title of professor of the Academy.

1897

Employed by: Academy of Arts, Berlin

1898

President of the Berlin Secession

When the jury of the Great Berlin Art Exhibition, chaired by Anton von Werner, rejected a work by Walter Leistikow, Leistikow called on independent artists to unite, and Liebermann was elected president of the association. He appointed the gallerists Bruno and Paul Cassirer as secretaries, and his fame secured the Secession public interest.