Pechstein was expelled from Die Brucke for exhibiting alone. In 1912 he showed work at the Berlin Secession without his colleagues, and the group voted him out. The expulsion was relatively amicable: he had been the most commercially successful member, his style was more accessible than Kirchner's or Heckel's, and the success had bred resentment. He was also the only member with formal academic training, which set him apart from the start.
Key facts
- Lived
- 1881–1955, German
- Movement
- Works held in
- 45 museums
Biography
He was born in Zwickau in 1881 and apprenticed as a decorator from 1896 to 1900 before studying at the Dresden art school. Erich Heckel invited him to join Die Brucke in 1906. Contact with Matisse pushed his palette toward jarring, unmixed colour, but his compositions retained a warmth and legibility that made them easier to sell than the work of his peers.
At the outbreak of the First World War he was interned in Japan and returned to Germany via Shanghai, Manila and New York. He saw action at the Somme and suffered a nervous breakdown. In 1918 he co-founded the Novembergruppe, a left-wing artists' group that demanded artist involvement in postwar social policy.
The Nazis classified his work as degenerate. Over three hundred paintings were seized from German museums. He was banned from exhibiting and dismissed from the Prussian Academy. He produced 421 lithographs, 315 woodcuts and linocuts, and 165 etchings over his career, making him one of the most prolific printmakers of the Expressionist generation. After the war he was rehabilitated, given a professorship in Berlin and elected to the Academy of Arts. He died in Berlin in 1955, at seventy-three.
Timeline
- 1912Painted "Der Tanz (Tanzende und Badende am Waldteich)" aged 31.
- 1919Painted "Poster for periodical An die Laterne (To the Lamp Post)" aged 38.
- 1921Painted "Fishing boats in the afternoon sun (Fischkutter in Nachmittagssonne)" aged 40.
- 1921Painted "Und die Kraft und die Herrlichkeit (And the Power and the Glory)" aged 40.
- 1949Painted "Die Schwalben sammeln sich (Ückeritz i. Pommern)" aged 68.
- 1949Painted "In der Brandungswelle" aged 68.
Notable Works
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Related Artists
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was max pechstein?
Max Hermann Pechstein was a German painter and printmaker. Born in Zwickau, Germany, in 1881, he joined the Brücke group in 1906 after studying in Dresden. He was expelled in 1912 for exhibiting independently.What art movement was Max Pechstein part of?
Max Pechstein was associated with the Expressionism movement.When did Max Pechstein die?
Max Pechstein died in 1955 at the age of 74.When was Max Pechstein born?
Max Pechstein was born in 1881 in Germany. Max Pechstein died in 1955, aged 74.
Sources
Editorial draws on the following primary and tertiary references for Max Pechstein.
- [1] academic The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica, Max Pechstein | Expressionism, Expressionist, Painter | Britannica Used for: biography.
- [2] book Beard, Lee, 1973- author, Butler, Adam, author; Van Cleave, Claire, author; Fortenberry, Diane, author; Stirling, Susan, author, Beard, Lee, 1973- author, Butler, Adam, author; Van Cleave, Claire, author; Fortenberry, Diane, author; Stirling, Susan, author - The Art Book_ New Edition, Mini Format Used for: biography.
- [3] book Starr Figura, German Expressionism: The Graphic Impulse Used for: biography.
- [4] book guggenheim-expger00neug Used for: biography.
- [5] museum Max Pechstein (1881 - 1955) | National Gallery, London Used for: biography.
- [6] museum The Collection | Max Pechstein (German, 1881–1955) - MoMA Used for: biography.
- [7] museum Young Woman Seated at a Table, Holding a Candle Used for: notable works.
Editorial overseen by Solis Prints. Sources verified 2026-05-03. Click a source for details, or hover over [N] in the page above to preview.
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