German art history is complex, reflecting the country's fragmented political and religious landscape. The seventeenth and eighteenth centuries saw both devastation and brilliance, with the Thirty Years' War disrupting cultural movements, followed by a flowering of the arts during the Rococo period. Gothic painting flourished in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, particularly in Cologne and Westphalia. More recently, German artists challenged postwar abstraction, developing new approaches to figuration and abstraction.
Key Movements
12 movements shaped german art.
Key Artists
Key Ideas
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Gothic Painting
During the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, Gothic painting saw significant activity in various regions. Cologne and Westphalia became important centres for artistic production during this period.
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Baroque and Rococo Eras
Despite the disruption of the Thirty Years' War (1618–1648), the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries saw a flowering of the arts in Germany. The figurative arts provided a splendid frame for Rococo culture.
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Postwar Figuration
After World War II, German artists challenged the prevailing abstract styles. They developed new approaches to figuration, which were initially met with critical disapproval.
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New Objectivity
Emerging after World War I, New Objectivity (Neue Sachlichkeit) offered a cynical and direct view of society. Artists such as Christian Schad captured the disillusionment and moral decay of the Weimar Republic.
Museums in Germany
78 museums.
Berlin (7)
- 135 artists
Gemäldegalerie Berlin
Berlin, Germany
- 16 artists
Bode Museum
Berlin, Germany
- 8 artists
Kupferstichkabinett Berlin
Berlin, Germany
- 6 artists
Scharf-Gerstenberg Collection
Berlin, Germany
- 3 artists
Hamburger Bahnhof
Berlin, Germany
- 1 artists
Berlinische Galerie
Berlin, Germany
- 1 artists
Käthe Kollwitz Museum
Berlin, Germany
Düsseldorf (4)
- 28 artists
Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen
Düsseldorf, Germany
- 19 artists
Museum Kunstpalast
Düsseldorf, Germany
- 16 artists
Johann Wilhelm von der Pfalz collection
Düsseldorf, Germany
- 11 artists
Electoral Gallery Dusseldorf
Düsseldorf, Germany
Munich (3)
- 164 artists
Munich Central Collecting Point
Munich, Germany
- 42 artists
Bavarian State Painting Collections
Munich, Germany
- 24 artists
Lenbachhaus
Munich, Germany
Potsdam (4)
- 11 artists
Impressionism: The Hasso Plattner Collection
Potsdam, Germany
- 9 artists
Museum Barberini
Potsdam, Germany
- 2 artists
Prussian Palaces and Gardens Foundation Berlin-Brandenburg
Potsdam, Germany
- 1 artists
New Palace
Potsdam, Germany
Dresden (2)
- 33 artists
Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden
Dresden, Germany
- 30 artists
Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister
Dresden, Germany
Hanover (2)
- 33 artists
Landesmuseum Hannover
Hanover, Germany
- 2 artists
Niedersächsische Sparkassenstiftung
Hanover, Germany
Ungersbau (1)
- 160 artists
Wallraf–Richartz Museum
Ungersbau, Germany
Frankfurt (1)
- 132 artists
Städel Museum
Frankfurt, Germany
Gebäudekomplex der Kölner Philharmonie und des Museum Ludwig (1)
- 108 artists
Museum Ludwig
Gebäudekomplex der Kölner Philharmonie und des Museum Ludwig, Germany
Neue Nationalgalerie (1)
- 73 artists
Neue Nationalgalerie
Neue Nationalgalerie, Germany
Hamburg-Altstadt (1)
- 72 artists
Hamburger Kunsthalle
Hamburg-Altstadt, Germany
Schloss Wilhelmshöhe (1)
- 64 artists
Hessen Kassel Heritage
Schloss Wilhelmshöhe, Germany
Berlin-Mitte (1)
- 63 artists
Alte Nationalgalerie
Berlin-Mitte, Germany
Stuttgart (1)
- 62 artists
Staatsgalerie Stuttgart
Stuttgart, Germany
Leipzig (1)
- 45 artists
Museum der bildenden Künste
Leipzig, Germany
Carinhall (1)
- 43 artists
Hermann Göring Collection
Carinhall, Germany
Münster (1)
- 41 artists
Westphalian State Museum of Art and Cultural History
Münster, Germany
Weimar (2)
- 4 artists
Klassik Stiftung Weimar
Weimar, Germany
- 1 artists
Schloss Weimar
Weimar, Germany
Stadtbezirk II (Essen) (1)
- 39 artists
Museum Folkwang
Stadtbezirk II (Essen), Germany
Sammlungszentrum Hannover (1)
- 35 artists
Sprengel Museum
Sammlungszentrum Hannover, Germany
Mitte (1)
- 30 artists
Kunsthalle Bremen
Mitte, Germany
Nuremberg (1)
- 29 artists
Germanisches Nationalmuseum
Nuremberg, Germany
Karlsruhe (1)
- 29 artists
Staatliche Kunsthalle Karlsruhe
Karlsruhe, Germany
Mannheim (1)
- 25 artists
Kunsthalle Mannheim
Mannheim, Germany
Remagen (1)
- 24 artists
Collection Rau for UNICEF
Remagen, Germany
Wiesbaden (1)
- 13 artists
Museum Wiesbaden
Wiesbaden, Germany
Neuss (1)
- 9 artists
Clemens Sels Museum Neuss
Neuss, Germany
Brunswick (1)
- 9 artists
Herzog Anton Ulrich Museum
Brunswick, Germany
Starnberg (1)
- 9 artists
Julius Böhler AG
Starnberg, Germany
Baden-Baden (1)
- 9 artists
Museum Frieder Burda
Baden-Baden, Germany
Krefeld (1)
- 8 artists
Kaiser Wilhelm Museum
Krefeld, Germany
Greifswald (1)
- 8 artists
Pomeranian State Museum
Greifswald, Germany
Bamberg Rural District (1)
- 8 artists
Schloss Weißenstein
Bamberg Rural District, Germany
Gera (1)
- 7 artists
Kunstsammlung Gera
Gera, Germany
Lübeck's Old City (1)
- 7 artists
Museum Behnhaus Drägerhaus
Lübeck's Old City, Germany
Schweinfurt (1)
- 7 artists
Museum Georg Schäfer
Schweinfurt, Germany
Hamburg (1)
- 5 artists
Luna Luna
Hamburg, Germany
Münchner Haus der Kulturinstitute (1)
- 5 artists
Staatliche Graphische Sammlung München
Münchner Haus der Kulturinstitute, Germany
Dahlem (1)
- 4 artists
Brücke Museum
Dahlem, Germany
Landhaus (1)
- 4 artists
Dresden City Museum
Landhaus, Germany
Stuttgart-Mitte (1)
- 4 artists
Kunstmuseum Stuttgart
Stuttgart-Mitte, Germany
Dresden Castle (1)
- 4 artists
Kupferstich-Kabinett Dresden
Dresden Castle, Germany
Duisburg (1)
- 4 artists
Lehmbruck Museum
Duisburg, Germany
Kochel (1)
- 3 artists
Franz Marc Museum
Kochel, Germany
Albertinum (1)
- 3 artists
Galerie Neue Meister
Albertinum, Germany
Mülheim an der Ruhr (1)
- 3 artists
Kunstmuseum Mülheim an der Ruhr
Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany
Dortmund (1)
- 3 artists
Museum of Art and Cultural History (Dortmund)
Dortmund, Germany
Wuppertal (1)
- 3 artists
Von der Heydt Museum
Wuppertal, Germany
Kaserne der Garde du Corps (1)
- 2 artists
Berggruen Museum
Kaserne der Garde du Corps, Germany
Unter den Linden (1)
- 2 artists
Berlin State Library
Unter den Linden, Germany
Halle (Saale) (1)
- 2 artists
Moritzburg
Halle (Saale), Germany
Ludwigshafen (1)
- 2 artists
Wilhelm-Hack-Museum
Ludwigshafen, Germany
Ottensen (1)
- 1 artists
Altonaer Museum
Ottensen, Germany
Erfurter Waage (1)
- 1 artists
Angermuseum
Erfurter Waage, Germany
Altstadt (1)
- 1 artists
Goethe House
Altstadt, Germany
Altstadt-Nord (1)
- 1 artists
Käthe Kollwitz Museum Köln
Altstadt-Nord, Germany
Maxvorstadt (1)
- 1 artists
Museum Brandhorst
Maxvorstadt, Germany
Seebüll (1)
- 1 artists
Nolde Museum Seebüll
Seebüll, Germany
Kunstareal (1)
- 1 artists
Pinakothek der Moderne
Kunstareal, Germany
Saarbrücken (1)
- 1 artists
Saarland Museum
Saarbrücken, Germany
Marl (1)
- 1 artists
Sculpture museum of Glaskasten
Marl, Germany
All German Artists
87 artists.
Abdul Mati Klarwein
Adam Elsheimer
Adolf Eberle
Adolf Fleischmann
Adolf Holzel
Adolph de Meyer
Adolph Menzel
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Adolph Treidler
Agnes Lawrence Pelton
Albert Bierstadt
Albert Flamm
Albert Oehlen
Albrecht Adam
Albrecht Altdorfer
Albrecht Behmel
Andreas Achenbach
Andreas Gursky
Angelo Jank
Anselm Feuerbach
Anselm Kiefer
Armin Andreas Pangerl
Arthur Heyer
August Macke
August Natterer
Aura Hertwig
Benno Adam
Bernard Schultze
Bernd Luz
Bernhard Strigel
Bertold Löffler
Blinky Palermo
Carl Blechen
Carl Buchheister
Carl Chun
Carl Joseph Begas
Carl Rungius
Carl Spitzweg
Carlos Schwabe
Carsten Holler
Carsten Nicolai
Charlotte Posenenske
Christian Ezdorf
Christian Rohlfs
Christian Schad
Christian Wilhelm Allers
Claricia
Cornelia Paczka-Wagner
Curt Herrmann
Daniel Richter
Daniel Sambo-Richter
Dieter Asmus
Dieter Rams
Dieter Roth
Eduard von Grützner
Edward Theodore Compton
Elsa von Freytag-Loringhoven
Emil Hünten
Emil Nolde
Emil Schumacher
Ernst Haeckel
Ernst Ludwig Kirchner
Ferdinand Piloty
Franz Marc
Fritz Reiss
Gabriele Münter
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Georg Baselitz
Hans Thoma
Heinrich Campendonk
Helmut Kolle
Henri Lehmann
Hito Steyerl
Johann Heinrich Schönfeld
John Decker
Josef Albers
Karl Hofer
Karl Schmidt-Rottluff
Käthe Kollwitz
Kurt Schwitters
Max Beckmann
Max Pechstein
Showing the first 80 of 87 artists, alphabetically.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Germany's greatest contribution to art?
Germany made a significant contribution to Gothic painting during the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. Centres like Cologne and Westphalia saw considerable artistic activity, producing work of lasting importance.Who are the most important German artists to know?
Several German artists have achieved international recognition, including Adolph de Meyer, known for his pictorialist photography. Christian Schad is another important figure, associated with the New Objectivity movement.Which German artist is underappreciated?
Carl Buchheister, whose career spanned both Dada and abstract art, remains somewhat outside the mainstream. His experimental approach and contributions to non-objective art deserve greater recognition.When did Germany develop a distinctive national style?
While regional styles existed earlier, a more unified German artistic identity emerged during the Gothic period (14th-16th centuries). Artists across different regions began to share stylistic traits, contributing to a recognisable German aesthetic.
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